Quick facts
Jinan overview
Jinan (orange) and the other large cities of China
Jinan lies in Shandong in China at 36.67°N, 117°E, about 32 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Shanghai (UTC+8); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Foshan (9,042,509) and larger than Dalian (7,450,785). 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 364 km away; the nearest large city is Mingshui, 45 km from Jinan.
China as a whole has a live population of 1,411,955,021 (-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 Jinan
Largest cities in China
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Jinan?
Jinan has about 8,352,574 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Jinan the capital of China?
No. The capital of China is Beijing (18,960,744 people), about 364 km away. Jinan is the 18th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Jinan compared with the rest of China?
Its 8,352,574 residents are 0.6% of the 1,411,955,021 people living in China today. Shanghai is larger with 24,874,500 people.
Where is Jinan?
In Shandong, China, at latitude 36.67 and longitude 117, 32 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Mingshui (45 km), Feicheng (51 km), Tai’an (55 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Jinan Population 2026 — China. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/china/jinan/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/china/jinan/">Jinan 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 2026-10-21. More about our data.