Highest scoring goals
Where China is closest to the targets behind the goal, in the 2023 data.
All countries / China
China
72.0
SDG Index score, 2023 report
0–100, higher is better
0–100, higher is better
#63
of 166 countries worldwide
#4
of 19 in East & South Asia
+3.1
points since 2015, when the goals were adopted
(68.9 → 72.0)
+9.8
points since 2000 (62.2 → 72.0)
67.7
average of the 19 countries in East & South Asia
17/17
goals assessed in the 2023 data
SDG Index score, 2000–2022
The overall index for China, against its region and the world.
Lowest scoring goals
Where the greatest distance is left to cover, in the 2023 data.
Most progress since 2015
Largest gain in goal score since the goals were adopted.
Went backwards
Goals scoring lower than they did in 2015.
All 17 goals
Each card shows the 2023 score, where it sits among the countries assessed on that goal, and how the score has moved since 2015.
Goal 1
No Poverty
98.1
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
- #58 of 151 countries
- #4 of 16 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +7.8 since 2015
Goal 2
Zero Hunger
83.4
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
- #1 of 166 countries
- #1 of 19 in region
- Top quartile
- +1.2 since 2015
Goal 3
Good Health and Well-being
83.4
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- #51 of 166 countries
- #4 of 19 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +3.5 since 2015
Goal 4
Quality Education
99.5
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
- #7 of 166 countries
- #1 of 19 in region
- Top quartile
- +0.1 since 2015
Goal 5
Gender Equality
78.2
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- #30 of 166 countries
- #1 of 19 in region
- Top quartile
- +1.8 since 2015
Goal 6
Clean Water and Sanitation
69.0
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
- #78 of 166 countries
- #11 of 19 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +2.6 since 2015
Goal 7
Affordable and Clean Energy
67.7
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- #87 of 166 countries
- #6 of 19 in region
- Lower-middle quartile
- +5.5 since 2015
78.9
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- #45 of 166 countries
- #2 of 19 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +2.3 since 2015
80.3
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
- #34 of 166 countries
- #3 of 19 in region
- Top quartile
- +14.8 since 2015
Goal 10
Reduced Inequalities
34.9
Reduce inequality within and among countries
- #121 of 149 countries
- #16 of 16 in region
- Bottom quartile
- +0.5 since 2015
79.5
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- #77 of 166 countries
- #8 of 19 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- +11.5 since 2015
87.0
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- #72 of 166 countries
- #13 of 19 in region
- Upper-middle quartile
- -0.7 since 2015
Goal 13
Climate Action
77.6
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
- #121 of 166 countries
- #16 of 19 in region
- Lower-middle quartile
- -2.8 since 2015
Goal 14
Life Below Water
55.7
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- #102 of 126 countries
- #11 of 15 in region
- Bottom quartile
- -0.4 since 2015
Goal 15
Life on Land
48.9
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
- #150 of 166 countries
- #13 of 19 in region
- Bottom quartile
- -1.1 since 2015
60.6
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- #86 of 166 countries
- #8 of 19 in region
- Lower-middle quartile
- +5.7 since 2015
Goal 17
Partnerships for the Goals
41.4
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
- #157 of 166 countries
- #19 of 19 in region
- Bottom quartile
- +0.1 since 2015
China East & South Asia average all-country average — both taken over the countries assessed on each goal
Summary
Written by a language model from the scores above. Treat it as a reading of the table, not as a source.
About these numbers
- Goal scores run from 0 to 100 and measure distance to target: 0 is the worst outcome observed and 100 means the target has been reached on the indicators behind that goal. They are built to be compared across countries, not across goals.
- The headline score is the published figure. It is the average of all 17 goals, with any goal a country is not assessed on filled in at its region's average for that goal — so for a country with a gap, the 17 numbers below will not average to it.
- The headline score and rankings come from the Sustainable Development Report 2023. The 2000–2022 trends come from the SDG Index 2000-2022, so the two can differ slightly for the same goal.
- Rankings cover the 166 countries in the report. World, regional and income aggregates are excluded from every ranking.
- Comparison markers on each card are unweighted averages of the countries assessed on that goal. The published regional and world aggregates are weighted differently and appear only on their own profile pages.
- Quartile labels describe position within this dataset. They are not the Sustainable Development Report's own dashboard ratings, which are calculated per indicator.
- Get this profile as JSON →
China’s SDG Index score of 72.0 reflects significant progress, with the country's overall performance increasing by 9.8 points since 2000. The nation performs exceptionally well in Goal 4 (Quality Education), which is its highest-scoring area, while Goal 15 (Life on Land) represents its lowest score. Despite these advancements, China's trajectory is mixed, as seen in the declining scores for Goal 12 and Goal 13. Compared to its East & South Asia region, China outperforms the regional average of 67.7, ranking 4th out of 19 countries. This indicates that China is a regional leader in sustainable development, maintaining a higher overall index score than many of its neighbors.