This article is about the demographics of the People's Republic of China. For the demographics of the Republic of China (Taiwan), see Demographics of Taiwan.
The People's Republic of China is the second most-populous country in the world with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, only surpassed by India. Historically, China has always been one of the nation-states with the most population. Experts say China will shrink to half of its population from 1.4 billion in present-day to just 872 million by the late 21st century.
China has an enormous population with a relatively small youth component, partially a result of China's one-child policy that was implemented from 1979 until 2015, which limited urban families to one offspring and rural families to two. As of 2022[update], Chinese state media reported the country's total fertility rate to be 1.09.[7]
By one estimate, in 2024 China's population stood at about 1.408 billion, down from the 1.412 billion recorded in the 2020 census.[11] According to the 2020 census, 91.11% of the population was Han Chinese, and 8.89% were minorities. China's population growth rate is -0.10%.[12][13] China conducted its sixth national population census in 2010,[14][15] and its seventh census was completed in late 2020, with data released in May 2021.[16]
China faces the challenge of an aging population due to increased life expectancy and declining birth rates.[17] This demographic shift has implications for social services and the labor force.[17]