Quick facts
Dalian overview
Dalian (orange) and the other large cities of China
Dalian lies in Liaoning in China at 38.91°N, 121.6°E, about 33 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Shanghai (UTC+8).
It is smaller than Jinan (8,352,574) and larger than Wuzhong (7,202,654). The largest city in China is Shanghai with 24,874,500 people; the capital, Beijing, has 18,960,744.
The national capital, Beijing, is about 461 km away; the nearest large city is Jinzhou, 23 km from Dalian.
China as a whole has a live population of 1,411,968,572 (-0.2% a year) and ranks #2 of 238 countries — see the China population page for the full statistics and the China atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Dalian
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Jinzhou Liaoning | 23 km | 215,386 |
| Pulandian Liaoning | 62 km | 104,277 |
| Wafangdian Liaoning | 86 km | 454,338 |
| Zhuanghe Liaoning | 148 km | 742,496 |
| Yantai Shandong | 160 km | 7,102,100 |
| Weihai Shandong | 162 km | 844,310 |
| Tianfu Shandong | 187 km | 115,370 |
| Shanhaiguan Hebei | 200 km | 140,000 |
Largest cities in China
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dalian?
Dalian has about 7,450,785 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Dalian the capital of China?
No. The capital of China is Beijing (18,960,744 people), about 461 km away. Dalian is the 19th largest city of the country.
How big is Dalian compared with the rest of China?
Its 7,450,785 residents are 0.5% of the 1,411,968,572 people living in China today. Shanghai is larger with 24,874,500 people.
Where is Dalian?
In Liaoning, China, at latitude 38.91 and longitude 121.6, 33 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Jinzhou (23 km), Pulandian (62 km), Wafangdian (86 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Dalian Population 2026 — China. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/china/dalian/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/china/dalian/">Dalian Population 2026 — China</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.