How does China rank for fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious?

China ranks 228th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.

Is fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious rising or falling in China?

Over the last ten years it is down 41.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this China data come from?

The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious in China

Name: Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious in China
Creator: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

China: Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious was 0.999 live births per woman in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)

0.999 live births per woman

Change on year

down 3.4%

World rank

228th

of 236 countries

All-time high

7.51 live births per woman

in 1963

All-time low

0.999 live births per woman

in 2023

Years of data

1950–2023

Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious in China, 1950–2023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.

Analysis

China recorded 0.999 live births per woman for fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.

That represents a change of down 3.4% on the previous year and down 41.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious in China peaked at 7.51 live births per woman in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0.999 live births per woman, in 2023.

That places China 228th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	5.93 live births per woman	4.72 live births per woman	6.47 live births per woman	10
1960s	6 live births per woman	3.86 live births per woman	7.51 live births per woman	10
1970s	4.07 live births per woman	2.72 live births per woman	6.08 live births per woman	10
1980s	2.68 live births per woman	2.52 live births per woman	2.97 live births per woman	10
1990s	1.73 live births per woman	1.52 live births per woman	2.51 live births per woman	10
2000s	1.63 live births per woman	1.56 live births per woman	1.71 live births per woman	10
2010s	1.69 live births per woman	1.5 live births per woman	1.8 live births per woman	10
2020s	1.1 live births per woman	0.999 live births per woman	1.24 live births per woman	4

Countries ranked near China

225 Curacao 1.07 live births per woman compare
226 British Virgin Islands 1.04 live births per woman compare
227 Vatican 1 live births per woman compare
229 Ukraine 0.977 live births per woman compare
231 Puerto Rico 0.941 live births per woman compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More population data for China

World population growth -1.7% (2100)
Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
Population growth rate, by level of development -1.7% (2100)
Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.01 births per woman (2024)
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.01 births per woman (2024)
Refugees by country of asylum 303,405 people (2020)
Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.01 births per woman (2024)
Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 0.9859 children per women (2023)
Birth rate by women's age group 5.23 live births per 1,000 women aged 15-19 (2023)

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious in China?: Fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious in China was 0.999 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious recorded in China?: The highest recorded value was 7.51 live births per woman in 1963.
What is the lowest fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious recorded in China?: The lowest recorded value was 0.999 live births per woman in 2023.
How does China rank for fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious?: China ranks 228th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is fertility rate vs. share of people who are religious rising or falling in China?: Over the last ten years it is down 41.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?: The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious
Unit: live births per woman
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would have if she experienced the year's age-specific birth rates throughout her childbearing years.