In 2024, the average number of children born per 1,000 people in China ranged at 6.77. The birth rate has dropped considerably since 2016, and the number of births fell below the number of deaths in 2022 for the first time in decades, leading to a negative population growth rate. Recent development of the birth rate Similar to most East-Asian countries and territories, demographics in China today are characterized by a very low fertility rate. As low fertility in the long-term limits economic growth and leads to heavy strains on the pension and health systems, the Chinese government decided to support childbirth by gradually relaxing strict birth control measures, that had been in place for three decades. However, the effect of this policy change was considerably smaller than expected. The birth rate increased from 11.9 births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2010 to 14.57 births in 2012 and remained on a higher level for a couple of years, but then dropped again to a new low in 2018. This illustrates that other factors constrain the number of births today. These factors are most probably similar to those experienced in other developed countries as well: women preferring career opportunities over maternity, high costs for bringing up children, and changed social norms, to name only the most important ones. Future demographic prospects Between 2020 and 2023, the birth rate in China dropped to formerly unknown lows, most probably influenced by the coronavirus pandemic. As all COVID-19 restrictions were lifted by the end of 2022, births figures showed a catch-up effect in 2024. However, the scope of the rebound might be limited. A population breakdown by five-year age groups indicates that the drop in the number of births is also related to a shrinking number of people with child-bearing age. The age groups between 15 and 29 years today are considerably smaller than those between 30 and 44, leaving less space for the birth rate to increase. This effect is exacerbated by a considerable gender gap within younger age groups in China, with the number of females being much lower than that of males.

In 2024, around 9.54 million babies were born in China. The number of births has increased slightly from 9.02 million in the previous year, but is much lower than the 17.86 million births recorded in 2016. Demographic development in China In 2022, the Chinese population decreased for the first time in decades, and population decline is expected to accelerate in the upcoming years. To curb the negative effects of an aging population, the Chinese government decided in 2013 to gradually relax the so called one-child-policy, which had been in effect since 1979. From 2016 onwards, parents in China were allowed to have two children in general. However, as the recent figures of births per year reveal, this policy change had only short-term effects on the general birth rate: the number of births slightly increased from 2014 onwards, but then started to fell again in 2018. In 2024, China was the second most populous country in the world, overtaken by India that year. China’s aging population The Chinese society is aging rapidly and facing a serious demographic shift towards older age groups. The median age of China’s population has increased massively from about 18 years in 1970 to 37.5 years in 2020 and is projected to rise continuously until 2080. In 2020, approximately 17.9 percent of the Chinese were 60 years and older, a figure that is forecast to rise as high as 44 percent by 2060. This shift in demographic development will increase social and elderly support expenditure of the society as a whole. One measure for this social imbalance is the old-age dependency ratio, measuring the relationship between economic dependent older age groups and the working-age population. The old-age dependency ratio in China is expected to soar to 69 percent in 2060, implying that by then three working-age persons will have to support two elderly persons.

In China, the crude birth rate in 1930 was just under 39 live births per thousand people, meaning that 3.9 percent of the population had been born in that year. The crude birth rate dropped gradually over the next fifteen years, however it then rose to it's highest recorded figure by 1955. Between 1945 and 1950, the Second World War ended and the Chinese Civil War was finally coming to an end, and during this time the crude birth rate rose to almost 47 births per thousand in individual years. The crude birth rate dropped again in the late 1950s, as Chairman Mao's 'Great Leap Forward' failed to industrialize the nation, and resulted in a famine which killed an estimated 45 million people. The 1960s saw some recovery, where the figures rose from 36.4 to 39.5 births per thousand in this decade, however two-child and one-child policies were introduced in the 1970s and 80s, in an attempt to slow China's rapidly growing population. These measures led to the decline of the birth rate, dropping below fifteen births per thousand at the turn of the millennium. From 2000 until now the decline of China's crude birth rate has slowed, falling by just 2.8 births per thousand over the past twenty years, and it is expected to be just below twelve in 2020.

China Fertility Rate of Childbearing Women: 1st Birth data was reported at 1.417 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.705 % for 2020. China Fertility Rate of Childbearing Women: 1st Birth data is updated yearly, averaging 2.232 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.170 % in 1999 and a record low of 1.417 % in 2021. China Fertility Rate of Childbearing Women: 1st Birth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: No of Birth, Death, Natural Growth, Birth Rate, Death Rate and Natural Growth Rate, Life Expectancy, Dependency Ratio.

This statistic shows the birth rate in China from 2000 to 2020, with forecasts until 2050. According to the forecasts, the birth rate in China might decrease from 8.52 per 1,000 people in 2020 to 6.9 per 1,000 people in 2050.

In 2022, the birth rate across different regions in China varied from around 14.24 births per 1,000 inhabitants (per mille) in Tibet to 3.34 per mille in Heilongjiang province. The average national birth rate ranged at 6.77 per mille that year. High disparity of birth rates across China Regional birth rates in China reach their highest values in western and southwestern provinces and autonomous regions. In this part of the country, the economy is less developed than in the coastal provinces and traditional values are more prevalent. At the same time, many people from minority communities live in these areas, who were less affected by strict birth control measures in the past and traditionally have more children. In contrast, the lowest birth rates in recent years were registered in the northwestern provinces Jilin, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang, which is the rust belt of China. This region offers few economic opportunities, and many young people leave for a better life in the eastern provinces. They often leave old people behind, which is one reason why these provinces also have some of the highest mortality rates in China. Future developments As most Chinese regions with a higher fertility rate have only few inhabitants, they cannot compensate for the increasing number of provinces with a declining populace. In the future, only economically successful cites will be able to escape this trend, while many provinces and rural areas will slowly lose a significant share of their population.

Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Sichuan: Chengdu data was reported at 8.780 ‰ in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.820 ‰ for 2022. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Sichuan: Chengdu data is updated yearly, averaging 9.050 ‰ from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2023, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.900 ‰ in 2017 and a record low of 6.600 ‰ in 2003. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Sichuan: Chengdu data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Household Registration: Natural Growth Rate.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 in early 2020 and the recurring epidemic in later years have disturbed China’s economy. Moreover, China’s demographic dividend has been disappearing due to its fastest aging population and declining birth rate. The birth rates in eastern provinces of China are much lower than those of the western provinces. Considering the impacts of the COVID-19 and aging population, this paper focused on the relationship between birth rate and the disposable income and tried to find effective measures to raise China’s birth rate. We discovered through regression analysis that the link between per capita disposable income and birth rate is initially "reverse J" and later "inverted J", indicating that per capita disposable income will influence the birth rate. Women’s employment rate and educational level are negatively correlated with the birth rate. To raise the fertility rate in China, it is necessary to increase the marriage rate and the willingness to have children by raising the per capita disposable income and introducing effective tax relief policies.

China Number of Births data was reported at 10.588 Person th in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,213.144 Person th for 2020. China Number of Births data is updated yearly, averaging 12.486 Person th from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,213.144 Person th in 2020 and a record low of 9.684 Person th in 2011. China Number of Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: No of Birth, Death, Natural Growth, Birth Rate, Death Rate and Natural Growth Rate, Life Expectancy, Dependency Ratio.

Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Guangdong: Shenzhen data was reported at 15.090 ‰ in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17.010 ‰ for 2020. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Guangdong: Shenzhen data is updated yearly, averaging 15.255 ‰ from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2021, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.450 ‰ in 2017 and a record low of 10.630 ‰ in 2003. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Guangdong: Shenzhen data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Household Registration: Natural Growth Rate.

The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country will have throughout their reproductive years. In 1930, China's fertility rate was 5.5 children per woman, and this number then dropped to just under five over the next fifteen years, as China experienced a civil war and the Second World War. The fertility rate rose rather quickly after this to over 6.1 in 1955, before dropping again in the late 1950s, as Chairman Mao's 'Great Leap Forward' failed to industrialize the nation, and resulted in widespread famine that killed an estimated 45 million people. In the decade following this, China's fertility rate reached it's highest level in 1970, before the implementation of the two-child policy in the 1970s, and the one-child policy** in the 1980s, which radically changed the population structure. The fertility rate fell to an all time low in the early 2000s, where it was just 1.6 children per woman. However this number has increased to 1.7 today, and the two-child policy was reintroduced in 2016, replacing the one-child policy that had been effective for over 36 years.

Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Chongqing data was reported at 6.100 ‰ in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.710 ‰ for 2021. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Chongqing data is updated yearly, averaging 11.020 ‰ from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2022, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.100 ‰ in 2010 and a record low of 6.100 ‰ in 2022. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Chongqing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Household Registration: Natural Growth Rate.

Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Hubei: Wuhan data was reported at 8.410 ‰ in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.970 ‰ for 2021. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Hubei: Wuhan data is updated yearly, averaging 10.720 ‰ from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2022, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15.570 ‰ in 2017 and a record low of 7.700 ‰ in 2007. Population: Household Registration: Birth Rate: Hubei: Wuhan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GE: Population: Prefecture Level City: Household Registration: Natural Growth Rate.

This dataset is about countries and is filtered where the country includes China, featuring 5 columns: birth rate, capital city, continent, country, and currency. The preview is ordered by population (descending).

This dataset is about countries in China per year, featuring 3 columns: birth rate, country, and date. The preview is ordered by date (descending).

China Fertility Rate of Childbearing Women: 3rd Birth and Above data was reported at 0.363 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.415 % for 2020. China Fertility Rate of Childbearing Women: 3rd Birth and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 0.184 % from Dec 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.448 % in 2019 and a record low of 0.129 % in 2011. China Fertility Rate of Childbearing Women: 3rd Birth and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: No of Birth, Death, Natural Growth, Birth Rate, Death Rate and Natural Growth Rate, Life Expectancy, Dependency Ratio.

In 2023, approximately 3.95 children per 1,000 regular resident population were born in the Shanghai municipality in China. Despite the gradual relaxation of the one-child policy and its final abolition in 2016, the number of births in Shanghai and the birth rate decreased considerably in recent years.

Chart and table of the China fertility rate from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

This dataset is about countries in China per year, featuring 4 columns: birth rate, country, date, and vulnerable employment. The preview is ordered by date (descending).

Population: Birth Rate: Chongqing data was reported at 0.558 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.598 % for 2022. Population: Birth Rate: Chongqing data is updated yearly, averaging 1.010 % from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2023, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.360 % in 1997 and a record low of 0.558 % in 2023. Population: Birth Rate: Chongqing data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: Birth Rate: By Region.