China: Total Population, by year
YearPopulation,
in millions
20281,405.04
20271,406.94
20261,408.53
20251,409.82
20241,410.78
20231,409.67
20221,411.75
20211,412.60
20201,412.12
20191,410.08
20181,405.41
20171,400.11
20161,392.32
20151,383.26
20141,376.46
20131,367.26
20121,359.22
20111,349.16
20101,340.91
20091,334.50
20081,328.02
20071,321.29
20061,314.48
20051,307.56
20041,299.88
20031,292.27
20021,284.53
20011,276.27
20001,267.43
19991,257.86
19981,247.61
19971,236.26
19961,223.89
19951,211.21
19941,198.50
19931,185.17
19921,171.71
19911,158.23
19901,143.33
19891,127.04
19881,110.26
19871,093.00
19861,075.07
19851,058.51
19841,043.57
19831,030.08
19821,016.54
19811,000.72
1980987.05
  • Region: China
  • Time period: 1980 to 2023
  • Published: Oct 2023

Data Analysis and Insights

Updated: Mar 27, 2024 | Published by: Statistico | About Us | Data sources

Population Growth Slowdown

China's population grew from 1,087.05 million in 1980 to a peak of 1,412.60 million in 2021, indicating a slowdown in growth rate over recent years. The growth from 2021 to 2028 shows a decline, highlighting a significant shift in demographic trends.

Decade of Highest Growth

The decade from 1980 to 1990 saw an increase of 56.28 million people, marking the period of most substantial growth within the dataset. Contrastingly, the population is projected to decrease by 7.56 million from 2021 to 2028, underscoring a demographic reversal.

Reversal in Population Trends

After reaching its zenith in 2021 with 1,412.60 million, China's population is expected to decrease to 1,405.04 million by 2028. This reversal from growth to decline highlights changing demographic dynamics.

Annual Population Changes

The annual population change has been fluctuating, with an increase of 24.23 million in 1990 to a decrease projected by 1.90 million between 2027 and 2028. These figures reflect the varying rates of population growth and eventual decline.

Early 2000s Growth Rate

Between 2000 and 2010, China's population grew by 73.48 million, showcasing a period of robust growth. However, comparing this to the slight increase of 2.88 million from 2020 to 2028 illustrates a stark slowdown in population growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the projected population trend in China from 2021 to 2028?

China's population is projected to decrease from 1,412.60 million in 2021 to 1,405.04 million by 2028.

How did China's population change in the 1980s?

From 1980 to 1990, China's population experienced its highest increase of 56.28 million people.

What is the projected annual population change between 2027 and 2028?

The annual population change between 2027 and 2028 is expected to be a decrease of 1.90 million people.

Terms and Definitions

Total population is the entire number of inhabitants, counting all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship, in a specific geographical location. This includes men, women, and children of all ages including infants.

Population trends refer to the patterns or movements in population over time. Common elements of population trends include growth or decline in total population, variations in birth and death rates, fertility rates, immigration and emigration patterns, or changes in population density.

Fertility rate, also known as Total Fertility Rate (TFR), is the average number of children a woman would have during her lifetime in a particular geographical location, provided that current age-specific fertility rates remain constant during her child-bearing years.

The birth rate is the total number of live births per 1,000 people of a population in a year. The rate is considered as an indicator of the fertility of a nation.

The death rate, also known as mortality rate, is the number of deaths occurring during the year, per 1,000 people at midyear; also known as crude death rate.

Immigration refers to the international movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives, or where they do not possess citizenship, mainly with the aim of permanent residence or seeking employment as a foreign worker.

Emigration is the act of leaving one's native country or region to settle in another. Unlike immigration, it represents the outgoing flow of people from a particular location.

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area, usually per square kilometer or mile. It is a useful metric for understanding the spread of population in a specific geographical area.

The one-child policy was a population planning policy implemented by the Chinese government to control population growth by limiting urban couples to having just one child. The policy was introduced in 1979 and formally relaxed to a two-child policy in 2015.
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Demography
Demography studies the characteristics of human populations, including aspects such as birth rate, death rate, migration, and how these elements can influence societal structure and development. Read more »