Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in China
China: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was -0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in China, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
China recorded -0.1% for population growth in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 18.6% on the previous year and down 119.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in China peaked at 2.8% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -0.1%, in 2024.
China ranks 186th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in China, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.8% | — |
| 1971 | 2.7% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | -10.5% |
| 1973 | 2.3% | -7.1% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | -9.5% |
| 1975 | 1.8% | -14.5% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -12.4% |
| 1977 | 1.4% | -11.9% |
| 1978 | 1.3% | -1.8% |
| 1979 | 1.3% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 1.3% | -6.0% |
| 1981 | 1.3% | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | +15.0% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | -1.9% |
| 1984 | 1.3% | -9.2% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | +3.8% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +9.2% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +7.8% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | -4.8% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -4.3% |
| 1991 | 1.4% | -7.0% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | -10.2% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | -6.2% |
| 1994 | 1.1% | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -2.4% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -6.2% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -9.8% |
| 2000 | 0.8% | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | -7.8% |
| 2002 | 0.7% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 0.6% | -4.6% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 0.5% | +13.1% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +24.1% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 0.6% | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 0.6% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.6% | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | -22.7% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -24.1% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -32.9% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | -62.5% |
| 2022 | -0.0% | -114.7% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | +692.3% |
| 2024 | -0.1% | +18.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -0.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5%. (58 countries reporting)
- China's -0.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -692.3% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | -114.7% | 0.1% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -62.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.0% | 1.3% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | -0.1% | 0.2% | 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 population growth in China?
- Population growth in China was -0.1% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 1970.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1% in 2024.
- How does China rank for population growth?
- China ranks 186th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 119.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release