The region of present-day China has historically been the most populous region in the world; however, its population development has fluctuated throughout history. In 2022, China was overtaken as the most populous country in the world, and current projections suggest its population is heading for a rapid decline in the coming decades. Transitions of power lead to mortality The source suggests that conflict, and the diseases brought with it, were the major obstacles to population growth throughout most of the Common Era, particularly during transitions of power between various dynasties and rulers. It estimates that the total population fell by approximately 30 million people during the 14th century due to the impact of Mongol invasions, which inflicted heavy losses on the northern population through conflict, enslavement, food instability, and the introduction of bubonic plague. Between 1850 and 1870, the total population fell once more, by more than 50 million people, through further conflict, famine and disease; the most notable of these was the Taiping Rebellion, although the Miao an Panthay Rebellions, and the Dungan Revolt, also had large death tolls. The third plague pandemic also originated in Yunnan in 1855, which killed approximately two million people in China. 20th and 21st centuries There were additional conflicts at the turn of the 20th century, which had significant geopolitical consequences for China, but did not result in the same high levels of mortality seen previously. It was not until the overlapping Chinese Civil War (1927-1949) and Second World War (1937-1945) where the death tolls reached approximately 10 and 20 million respectively. Additionally, as China attempted to industrialize during the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962), economic and agricultural mismanagement resulted in the deaths of tens of millions (possibly as many as 55 million) in less than four years, during the Great Chinese Famine. This mortality is not observable on the given dataset, due to the rapidity of China's demographic transition over the entire period; this saw improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and infrastructure result in sweeping changes across the population. The early 2020s marked some significant milestones in China's demographics, where it was overtaken by India as the world's most populous country, and its population also went into decline. Current projections suggest that China is heading for a "demographic disaster", as its rapidly aging population is placing significant burdens on China's economy, government, and society. In stark contrast to the restrictive "one-child policy" of the past, the government has introduced a series of pro-fertility incentives for couples to have larger families, although the impact of these policies are yet to materialize. If these current projections come true, then China's population may be around half its current size by the end of the century.

The total population in China was estimated at 1409.7 million people in 2023, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - China Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

According to latest figures, the Chinese population decreased by 1.39 million to around 1.408 billion people in 2024. After decades of rapid growth, China arrived at the turning point of its demographic development in 2022, which was earlier than expected. The annual population decrease is estimated to remain at moderate levels until around 2030 but to accelerate thereafter. Population development in China China had for a long time been the country with the largest population worldwide, but according to UN estimates, it has been overtaken by India in 2023. As the population in India is still growing, the country is very likely to remain being home of the largest population on earth in the near future. Due to several mechanisms put into place by the Chinese government as well as changing circumstances in the working and social environment of the Chinese people, population growth has subsided over the past decades, displaying an annual population growth rate of -0.1 percent in 2024. Nevertheless, compared to the world population in total, China held a share of about 17 percent of the overall global population in 2024. China's aging population In terms of demographic developments, the birth control efforts of the Chinese government had considerable effects on the demographic pyramid in China. Upon closer examination of the age distribution, a clear trend of an aging population becomes visible. In order to curb the negative effects of an aging population, the Chinese government abolished the one-child policy in 2015, which had been in effect since 1979, and introduced a three-child policy in May 2021. However, many Chinese parents nowadays are reluctant to have a second or third child, as is the case in most of the developed countries in the world. The number of births in China varied in the years following the abolishment of the one-child policy, but did not increase considerably. Among the reasons most prominent for parents not having more children are the rising living costs and costs for child care, growing work pressure, a growing trend towards self-realization and individualism, and changing social behaviors.

Content

The current population of China is 1,448,978,293 as of Wednesday, March 30, 2022, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data. This three datasets contain population data of China (2020 and historical), population forecast and population in major cities.

Attribute Information

• Year - Years from 2020-1955
• Population - Population in the respective year
• Yearly % Change - Percentage Yearly Change in Population
• Yearly Change - Yearly Change in Population
• Migrants (net) - Total number of migrants
• Median Age - Median age of the population
• Fertility Rate - Fertility rate
• Density (P/Km²)- Population density (population per square km)
• Urban Pop %- Percentage of urban population
• Urban Population- Urban population
• Country's Share of World Pop - Population share
• World Population - World Population in the respective year
• China Global Rank - Global Rank in Population

Source

Link : https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/china-population/

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Link : https://www.kaggle.com/anandhuh/datasets

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Historical dataset showing total population for China by year from 1950 to 2025.

The graph shows the population growth in China from 2000 to 2024. In 2024, the Chinese population decreased by about 0.1 percent or 1.39 million to around 1.408 billion people. Declining population growth in China Due to strict birth control measures by the Chinese government as well as changing family and work situations of the Chinese people, population growth has subsided over the past decades. Although the gradual abolition of the one-child policy from 2014 on led to temporarily higher birth figures, growth rates further decreased in recent years. As of 2024, leading countries in population growth could almost exclusively be found on the African continent and the Arabian Peninsula. Nevertheless, as of mid 2024, Asia ranked first by a wide margin among the continents in terms of absolute population. Future development of Chinese population The Chinese population reached a maximum of 1,412.6 million people in 2021 but decreased by 850,000 in 2022 and another 2.08 million in 2023. Until 2022, China had still ranked the world’s most populous country, but it was overtaken by India in 2023. Apart from the population decrease, a clear growth trend in Chinese cities is visible. By 2024, around 67 percent of Chinese people lived in urban areas, compared to merely 36 percent in 2000.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for China (SPPOPGROWCHN) from 1961 to 2024 about China, population, and rate.

Complete population data for China showing how many people live in China from 1960 to 2024

Historical dataset showing China population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

China Population: Natural Growth Rate data was reported at -0.060 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.034 % for 2021. China Population: Natural Growth Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 1.203 % from Dec 1949 (Median) to 2022, with 74 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.333 % in 1963 and a record low of -0.457 % in 1960. China Population: Natural Growth Rate 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: Natural Growth Rate: By Region.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Shenzhen, China metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Complete population data for Hong Kong SAR, China showing how many people live in Hong Kong SAR, China from 1960 to 2024

Yearly (annual) dataset of the China Population, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1960-12-31 to 2024-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.

china - Population Growth for China was -0.10379 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, china - Population Growth for China reached a record high of 0.08925 in January of 2021 and a record low of -0.10379 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for china - Population Growth for China - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on November of 2025.

China Population: Number of Natural Growth data was reported at -0.850 Person mn in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.480 Person mn for 2021. China Population: Number of Natural Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 12.085 Person mn from Dec 1950 (Median) to 2022, with 70 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.700 Person mn in 1963 and a record low of -3.040 Person mn in 1960. China Population: Number of Natural Growth 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.

Throughout the Common Era, until the 18th century, Japan's average population growth rate was significantly higher that those of Europe or China. Japan's relative isolation meant that it was not subjected to the same devastating pandemics during this period (especially plague), which caused regular spikes in mortality across Eurasia. During the period between 1700 and 1850, China and Western Europe's growth rates rose significantly due to improvements in food supply, water treatment, and more infrequent pandemics; as well as the spread of vaccination in Europe. In the late-19th and 20th centuries, population growth was high in all three regions, due to the onset of the demographic transition.

Population: Natural Growth Rate: Guangdong data was reported at 0.369 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.276 % for 2023. Population: Natural Growth Rate: Guangdong data is updated yearly, averaging 0.725 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2024, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.992 % in 2000 and a record low of 0.276 % in 2023. Population: Natural Growth Rate: Guangdong 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: Natural Growth Rate: By Region.

Population: Natural Growth Rate: Henan data was reported at -0.094 % in 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of -0.008 % for 2022. Population: Natural Growth Rate: Henan data is updated yearly, averaging 0.518 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2023, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.714 % in 2000 and a record low of -0.094 % in 2023. Population: Natural Growth Rate: Henan 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: Natural Growth Rate: By Region.

In 2023, the natural growth rate of the population across China varied between 7.96 people per 1,000 inhabitants (per mille) in Tibet and -6.92 per mille in Heilongjiang province. The national total population growth rate turned negative in 2022 and ranged at -1.48 per mille in 2023. Regional disparities in population growth The natural growth rate is the difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a certain region. In China, natural population growth reached the highest values in the western regions of the country. These areas have a younger population and higher fertility rates. Although the natural growth rate does not include the direct effects of migration, migrants are often young people in their reproductive years, and their movement may therefore indirectly affect the birth rates of their home and host region. This is one of the reasons why Guangdong province, which received a lot of immigrants over the last decades, has a comparatively high population growth rate. At the same time, Jilin, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang province, all located in northeast China, suffer not only from low fertility, but also from emigration of young people searching for better jobs elsewhere. The impact of uneven population growth The current distribution of natural population growth rates across China is most likely to remain in the near future, while overall population decline is expected to accelerate. Regions with less favorable economic opportunities will lose their inhabitants faster. The western regions with their high fertility rates, however, have only small total populations, which limits their effect on China’s overall population size.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Hong Kong SAR, China (SPPOPGROWHKG) from 1961 to 2024 about Hong Kong, population, and rate.