Total reserves in months of imports in China
China: Total reserves in months of imports was 11.94 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Total reserves in months of imports in China, 1982–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Analysis
In 2025, total reserves in months of imports in China stood at 11.94.
That represents a change of up 8.4% on the previous year and down 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total reserves in months of imports in China peaked at 25.39 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.15, in 1993.
China ranks 13th of 178 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Total reserves in months of imports in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 10.53 | — |
| 1983 | 11.33 | +7.6% |
| 1984 | 9.41 | -16.9% |
| 1985 | 4.9 | -47.9% |
| 1986 | 5.17 | +5.4% |
| 1987 | 6.72 | +30.0% |
| 1988 | 5.52 | -17.9% |
| 1989 | 5.08 | -8.0% |
| 1990 | 8.5 | +67.2% |
| 1991 | 10.11 | +18.9% |
| 1992 | 3.77 | -62.7% |
| 1993 | 3.15 | -16.3% |
| 1994 | 5.86 | +85.7% |
| 1995 | 6.33 | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 7.71 | +21.8% |
| 1997 | 15.36 | +99.2% |
| 1998 | 15.32 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 13.64 | -11.0% |
| 2000 | 10.94 | -19.8% |
| 2001 | 12.63 | +15.4% |
| 2002 | 15.3 | +21.1% |
| 2003 | 11.44 | -25.2% |
| 2004 | 12.9 | +12.8% |
| 2005 | 14.17 | +9.8% |
| 2006 | 15.39 | +8.6% |
| 2007 | 18.1 | +17.6% |
| 2008 | 19.15 | +5.8% |
| 2009 | 25.39 | +32.6% |
| 2010 | 21.83 | -14.0% |
| 2011 | 19.13 | -12.4% |
| 2012 | 19.08 | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 19.54 | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 18.97 | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 17.94 | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 16.72 | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 15.42 | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 13.14 | -14.8% |
| 2019 | 13.63 | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 14.5 | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 11.48 | -20.8% |
| 2022 | 11.05 | -3.7% |
| 2023 | 11.44 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | 11.02 | -3.7% |
| 2025 | 11.94 | +8.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.34 | 4.9 | 11.33 | 8 |
| 1990s | 8.97 | 3.15 | 15.36 | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.54 | 10.94 | 25.39 | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.54 | 13.14 | 21.83 | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.9 | 11.02 | 14.5 | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More financial sector data for China
- Total reserves in months of imports, annual growth rate 8.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves in months of imports, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), annual growth rate -0.1486 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per unit of GDP 0.1258 SDR per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per capita 1,743 SDR per person (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold (SDR), annual growth rate -0.1047 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserves excluding gold (SDR), per capita 1,778 SDR per person (2025)
- Total reserves (gold at market value) (SDR), annual growth rate 3.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (gold at market value) (SDR), per capita 1,946 SDR per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total reserves in months of imports in China?
- Total reserves in months of imports in China was 11.94 in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest total reserves in months of imports recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 25.39 in 2009.
- What is the lowest total reserves in months of imports recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.15 in 1993.
- How does China rank for total reserves in months of imports?
- China ranks 13th out of 178 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total reserves in months of imports rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Total reserves in months of imports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reserve assets are external assets, including monetary gold, that are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in exchange markets to affect the currency exchange rate, and for other related purposes (such as maintaining confidence in the currency and the economy, and serving as a basis for foreign borrowing). Reserve assets must be denominated and settled in foreign currency. This item is expressed in terms of the number of months of imports of goods and services they could pay for [X/(Imports/12)].