Fertility and wanted fertility in China
China: Fertility and wanted fertility was 1.01 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Fertility and wanted fertility in China, 1960–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for fertility and wanted fertility in China is 1.01, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and down 42.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility and wanted fertility in China peaked at 7.51 in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0.999, in 2023.
That places China 208th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertility and wanted fertility in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.45 | — |
| 1961 | 3.86 | -13.2% |
| 1962 | 6.08 | +57.5% |
| 1963 | 7.51 | +23.5% |
| 1964 | 6.67 | -11.2% |
| 1965 | 6.61 | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 6.31 | -4.5% |
| 1967 | 5.81 | -7.9% |
| 1968 | 6.51 | +12.1% |
| 1969 | 6.17 | -5.1% |
| 1970 | 6.08 | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 5.52 | -9.2% |
| 1972 | 5.11 | -7.4% |
| 1973 | 4.73 | -7.6% |
| 1974 | 4.17 | -11.8% |
| 1975 | 3.57 | -14.4% |
| 1976 | 3.23 | -9.4% |
| 1977 | 2.84 | -12.1% |
| 1978 | 2.72 | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 2.75 | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 2.74 | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 2.79 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 2.97 | +6.4% |
| 1983 | 2.56 | -13.9% |
| 1984 | 2.61 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 2.63 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.72 | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 2.76 | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 2.54 | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 2.52 | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.51 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 1.93 | -23.1% |
| 1992 | 1.78 | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 1.69 | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 1.63 | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 1.59 | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 1.55 | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 1.53 | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.52 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.53 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 1.63 | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 1.56 | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 1.57 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.57 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 1.62 | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 1.64 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 1.67 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.7 | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.71 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.69 | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.67 | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 1.8 | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 1.71 | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 1.77 | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 1.67 | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 1.77 | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 1.79 | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 1.54 | -14.3% |
| 2019 | 1.5 | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 1.24 | -17.4% |
| 2021 | 1.12 | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 1.03 | -7.4% |
| 2023 | 0.999 | -3.4% |
| 2024 | 1.01 | +1.4% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.01 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.8, 56% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.01 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.12, 48% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fertility and wanted fertility in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +57.5% | 3.86 | 6.08 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 | 3.86 | 7.51 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.07 | 2.72 | 6.08 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.68 | 2.52 | 2.97 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.73 | 1.52 | 2.51 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.63 | 1.56 | 1.71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.69 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.08 | 0.999 | 1.24 | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More population data for China
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.1671 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.68 (2100)
- Population density 67.46 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 15.54 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility and wanted fertility in China?
- Fertility and wanted fertility in China was 1.01 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility and wanted fertility recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 7.51 in 1963.
- What is the lowest fertility and wanted fertility recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.999 in 2023.
- How does China rank for fertility and wanted fertility?
- China ranks 208th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility and wanted fertility rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility and wanted fertility. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).