A Two-Stage Calibrated Annual Population Grid Dataset for China (2010–2020)

An annual gridded population dataset for China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2010 to 2020 was generated using a two-stage calibration method that integrates census data and provincial statistical yearbook data. The township-level population census data for 2010 and 2020, together with the original GlobPop, LandScan, and WorldPop population grids, were first collected as the input datasets. Calibration factors were constructed at the township scale and linear interpolation was applied to estimate population values for intermediate years. In the second stage, provincial population totals from the 2011–2019 China Statistical Yearbooks were introduced to scale the township-corrected results annually, ensuring consistency with official statistics. The calibrated dataset shows higher temporal consistency and spatial accuracy across China than the original GlobPop, LandScan, and WorldPop products when assessed with township-level census data.