Reports and analysis from demographers and the National Bureau of Statistics of China

China's Population Falls by 1.39 Million to 1.408 Billion in 2024, Third Consecutive Year of Decline

Jan 17, 2025, 05:02 AM

China's population declined for the third consecutive year in 2024, falling by 1.39 million to 1.40828 billion from 1.409 billion in 2023, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday. The country recorded 9.54 million births in 2024, an increase of 520,000 from the previous year, marking the first rise in births in eight years. The birth rate rose to 6.77 per 1,000 people from 6.39 in 2023, bolstered by a 12% increase in marriages following the end of the Zero-Covid policy and the auspicious Year of the Dragon. However, deaths reached 10.93 million, leading to a continued population decline as deaths outnumbered births. This marks the first time since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 that China has experienced a population decline for three consecutive years. With 22% of the population aged 60 or older, experts warn that the demographic trends pose significant challenges for China's economy amid a shrinking workforce.