Population growth rates in China
China: Population growth rates was -0.236 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rates in China, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rates in China is -0.236, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 82.9% on the previous year and down 136.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rates in China peaked at 3.29 in 1963 and was at its lowest, -0.236, in 2023.
That places China 195th 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.
Population growth rates in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.78 | — |
| 1951 | 1.75 | -1.7% |
| 1952 | 2.31 | +31.3% |
| 1953 | 2.05 | -11.2% |
| 1954 | 2.25 | +10.0% |
| 1955 | 2.25 | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 2.02 | -10.3% |
| 1957 | 2.4 | +19.0% |
| 1958 | 1.95 | -18.8% |
| 1959 | 0.674 | -65.5% |
| 1960 | -0.032 | -104.7% |
| 1961 | 0.329 | -1128.1% |
| 1962 | 2.47 | +651.7% |
| 1963 | 3.29 | +33.0% |
| 1964 | 2.55 | -22.4% |
| 1965 | 2.66 | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 2.52 | -5.3% |
| 1967 | 2.44 | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 2.75 | +12.7% |
| 1969 | 2.6 | -5.4% |
| 1970 | 2.61 | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 2.37 | -9.3% |
| 1972 | 2.23 | -6.1% |
| 1973 | 2.11 | -5.3% |
| 1974 | 1.87 | -11.0% |
| 1975 | 1.61 | -14.1% |
| 1976 | 1.48 | -8.0% |
| 1977 | 1.33 | -9.9% |
| 1978 | 1.32 | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 1.4 | +6.1% |
| 1980 | 1.44 | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 1.5 | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 1.65 | +10.3% |
| 1983 | 1.38 | -16.6% |
| 1984 | 1.47 | +6.9% |
| 1985 | 1.56 | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 1.7 | +9.0% |
| 1987 | 1.79 | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 1.65 | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 1.68 | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 1.74 | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 1.22 | -29.8% |
| 1992 | 1.12 | -8.5% |
| 1993 | 1.02 | -8.8% |
| 1994 | 0.924 | -9.4% |
| 1995 | 0.909 | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 0.856 | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 0.794 | -7.2% |
| 1998 | 0.764 | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 0.722 | -5.5% |
| 2000 | 0.765 | +6.0% |
| 2001 | 0.671 | -12.3% |
| 2002 | 0.599 | -10.7% |
| 2003 | 0.587 | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 0.581 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 0.632 | +8.8% |
| 2006 | 0.589 | -6.8% |
| 2007 | 0.585 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 0.62 | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 0.681 | +9.8% |
| 2010 | 0.661 | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 0.62 | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 0.738 | +19.0% |
| 2013 | 0.643 | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 0.65 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 0.526 | -19.1% |
| 2016 | 0.605 | +15.0% |
| 2017 | 0.575 | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 0.366 | -36.3% |
| 2019 | 0.269 | -26.5% |
| 2020 | 0.094 | -65.1% |
| 2021 | -0.048 | -151.1% |
| 2022 | -0.129 | +168.8% |
| 2023 | -0.236 | +82.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -0.236 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5505. (58 countries reporting)
- China's -0.236 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.69. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | +1128.1% | -0.032 | 0.329 |
| 1962 | +651.7% | 0.329 | 2.47 |
| 2022 | -168.8% | -0.048 | -0.129 |
| 2021 | -151.1% | 0.094 | -0.048 |
| 1960 | -104.7% | 0.674 | -0.032 |
| 2023 | -82.9% | -0.129 | -0.236 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.94 | 0.674 | 2.4 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.16 | -0.032 | 3.29 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.83 | 1.32 | 2.61 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.58 | 1.38 | 1.79 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.01 | 0.722 | 1.74 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.631 | 0.581 | 0.765 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5653 | 0.269 | 0.738 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0798 | -0.236 | 0.094 | 4 |
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 rates in China?
- Population growth rates in China was -0.236 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rates recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.29 in 1963.
- What is the lowest population growth rates recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.236 in 2023.
- How does China rank for population growth rates?
- China ranks 195th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rates rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 136.7%. 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 Population growth rates. 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).