China`s population declined for 3rd consecutive year in 2024

In 2024, China's population decreased for the third consecutive year, despite a minor increase in births, highlighting a persisting long-term risk to the economy.

According to data provided by the National Statistics Bureau on Friday, China's population decreased by more than 1.39 million to 1.408 billion last year.

The data showed that the population of mainland China decreased from 1.410 billion in 2023 to 1.408 billion last year.

However, the number of newborns increased by 5.7% to 9.54 million from 9.02 million in 2023.

Last year, the world's second-most populous country recorded 10.93 million deaths, a 1.5% decrease from 11.1 million in 2023. The death rate fell from 7.87 per thousand to 7.76 per thousand.

The government abandoned the ‘one-child’ policy that had been in place since the 1980s, first increasing the limit to two children in 2016 and then adopting a law in 2021 allowing families to have three children.

The Chinese zodiac's Year of the Dragon is thought to be auspicious for childbearing, which may contribute to this hump. 

Nevertheless, it remained the second-lowest birth rate since the People's Republic of China was established in 1949.

Source: Agencies

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