Quick facts
Jilin overview
Jilin (orange) and the other large cities of China
Jilin lies in China at 43.85°N, 126.56°E, about 188 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Shanghai (UTC+8); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Jieyang (1,899,394) and larger than Shangqiu (1,859,723). 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 948 km away; the nearest large city is Jiaohe, 64 km from Jilin.
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 Jilin
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Jiaohe Jilin | 64 km | 123,018 |
| Jiutai Jilin | 68 km | 175,115 |
| Huadian Jilin | 98 km | 139,047 |
| Changchun Jilin | 99 km | 5,691,024 |
| Dehui Jilin | 103 km | 108,818 |
| Yushu Jilin | 109 km | 124,736 |
| Dunhua Jilin | 144 km | 148,844 |
| Gongzhuling Jilin | 145 km | 180,700 |
Largest cities in China
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Jilin?
Jilin has about 1,895,865 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Jilin the capital of China?
No. The capital of China is Beijing (18,960,744 people), about 948 km away. Jilin is the 76th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is Jilin compared with the rest of China?
Its 1,895,865 residents are 0.1% of the 1,411,968,572 people living in China today. Shanghai is larger with 24,874,500 people.
Where is Jilin?
In China, at latitude 43.85 and longitude 126.56, 188 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Jiaohe (64 km), Jiutai (68 km), Huadian (98 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Jilin Population 2026 — China. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/china/jilin/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/china/jilin/">Jilin 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.