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China's population
EconomyChina Economy

Explainer | Is China concerned about its population?

  • China’s overall population continued to grow in 2019, rising to 1.4 billion, up from 1.39 billion a year earlier
  • Chinese mothers gave birth to 14.65 million babies in 2019, the lowest birth rate since 1961

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China’s overall population continued to grow in 2019, rising to 1.4 billion at the end of the year from 1.39 billion a year earlier. Photo: Getty Images
Andrew MullenandSidney Leng

A new version of this story has been published. Click here for the latest data about China's population. 

What is China’s population?

China’s overall population continued to grow in 2019, rising to 1.4 billion at the end of the year from 1.39 billion a year earlier.
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Beijing did not provide annual population and birth figures for 2020 when it released a series of economic indicators in January. Those figures, based on the once-in-a-decade population census that concluded at the end of 2019, with preliminary data expected to be published in April, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

But over the course of January, some Chinese provinces and cities disclosed their own birth data through government and state media reports, and in some cases, birth rates declined more than 30 per cent in 2020 from a year earlier.

How is China’s population measured?

China conducted its seventh national population census in November and December 2020, where a huge range of personal and household information, including the age, education, occupation, marital and migration status of people living in the world’s most populous nation was gathered.

Because of the vast number of people surveyed, it will in theory provide the most accurate information on changes to China’s population and be a key resource for future planning.

China will also conduct a sample survey of 1 per cent of the population – also known as a “micro population census” – between the 2020 census and the 2030 census to monitor population changes, according to official regulations.

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In other years, population figures are updated based on annual births and deaths data.

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