China　has　made　large　efforts　to　reduce　stroke　prevalence.　We　aimed　to　systematically　examine　the　prevalence　of　stroke　in　China　over　the　past　two　decades.Databases,　including　China　National　Knowledge　Infrastructure,　Wanfang,　VIP,　and　PubMed,　were　systematically　searched　for　studies　published　in　English　or　Chinese　that　reported　stroke　prevalence　in　China　during　2000-2017.　Meta-analysis　was　conducted　to　estimate　the　pooled　stroke　prevalence　and　the　variations　in　stroke　prevalence　subgroups　stratified　by　age,　gender,　time　period,　and　region.In　total,　96　papers　met　the　inclusion　criteria.　Meta-analysis　showed　that　the　overall　estimated　national　prevalence　was　5.1%　(5.0-5.3%)　with　large　variations　across　regions:　3.1%　(2.5-3.6%)　in　south　China,　3.4%　(3.0-3.8%)　in　southwest　China,　3.6%　(3.3-3.8%)　in　east　China,　5.0%　(4.7-5.4%)　in　central　China,　5.8%　(4.6-7.1%)　in　northwest　China,　6.0%　(5.0-7.0%)　in　northeast　China,　and　8.0%　(7.4-8.5%)　in　north　China.　Men　had　a　higher　prevalence　than　women　[7.3%　(6.9-7.7%)　vs.　5.6%　(5.2-6.0%)].　Stroke　prevalence　increased　with　age,　was　1.2%　(1.0-1.3%),　2.9%　(2.6-3.2%),　5.9%　(5.2-6.5%),　and　8.7%　(8.0-9.5%)　in　the　40-49,　50-59,　60-69,　and　≥70　years　old　groups,　respectively.Men,　people　being　older,　or　living　in　northern　China　had　higher　stroke　prevalence.　More　vigorous　efforts　are　needed　in　China　to　prevent　stroke.