Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China
China: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 203.62 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
203.62 million people
Change on year
up 3.7%
World rank
1st
of 236 countries
All-time high
203.62 million people
in 2023
All-time low
25.43 million people
in 1962
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China is 203.62 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 3.7% on the previous year and up 57.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China peaked at 203.62 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 25.43 million people, in 1962.
That places China 1st out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 27.43 million people | — |
| 1951 | 27.09 million people | -1.3% |
| 1952 | 26.87 million people | -0.8% |
| 1953 | 26.78 million people | -0.3% |
| 1954 | 26.75 million people | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 26.63 million people | -0.4% |
| 1956 | 26.47 million people | -0.6% |
| 1957 | 26.45 million people | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 26.57 million people | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 26.49 million people | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 25.97 million people | -2.0% |
| 1961 | 25.46 million people | -2.0% |
| 1962 | 25.43 million people | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 25.71 million people | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 25.98 million people | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 26.37 million people | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 26.97 million people | +2.3% |
| 1967 | 27.71 million people | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 28.59 million people | +3.2% |
| 1969 | 29.54 million people | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 30.53 million people | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 31.56 million people | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 32.59 million people | +3.3% |
| 1973 | 33.70 million people | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 34.94 million people | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 36.20 million people | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 37.37 million people | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 38.56 million people | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 39.96 million people | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 41.57 million people | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 43.21 million people | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 44.81 million people | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 46.40 million people | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 47.96 million people | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 49.57 million people | +3.4% |
| 1985 | 51.37 million people | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 53.26 million people | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 55.15 million people | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 57.13 million people | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 59.34 million people | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 61.66 million people | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 63.84 million people | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 66.06 million people | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 68.56 million people | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 71.15 million people | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 73.85 million people | +3.8% |
| 1996 | 76.62 million people | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 79.44 million people | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 82.59 million people | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 85.87 million people | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 89.09 million people | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 92.24 million people | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 95.24 million people | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 98.11 million people | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 100.74 million people | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 103.35 million people | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 106.15 million people | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 108.88 million people | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 111.44 million people | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 114.08 million people | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 117.05 million people | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 120.49 million people | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 124.46 million people | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 129.01 million people | +3.7% |
| 2014 | 134.14 million people | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 140.34 million people | +4.6% |
| 2016 | 147.27 million people | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 155.06 million people | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 163.39 million people | +5.4% |
| 2019 | 171.66 million people | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 180.30 million people | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 188.34 million people | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 196.38 million people | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 203.62 million people | +3.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 203.62 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 499,572 people, 407.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 203.62 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 96,191 people, 2116.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 26.75 million people | 26.45 million people | 27.43 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 26.77 million people | 25.43 million people | 29.54 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 35.70 million people | 30.53 million people | 41.57 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.82 million people | 43.21 million people | 59.34 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 72.97 million people | 61.66 million people | 85.87 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 101.93 million people | 89.09 million people | 114.08 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 140.29 million people | 117.05 million people | 171.66 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 192.16 million people | 180.30 million people | 203.62 million people | 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in China was 203.62 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 203.62 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.43 million people in 1962.
- How does China rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- China ranks 1st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.8%. 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. 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
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.