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Explainer | China population: is a demographic turning point just around the corner as births drop again?

  • Mainland China’s overall population increased to 1.4126 billion in 2021, but the national growth rate hit a record low of just 0.34 per thousand
  • Chinese mothers gave birth to 10.62 million babies last year, an 11.5 per cent drop from 12 million in 2020

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Mainland China’s overall population increased to 1.4126 billion in 2021 as Chinese mothers gave birth to just 10.62 million babies last year. Photo: AP

What is China’s population?

Mainland China’s population increased by less than half a million last year, while the number of births also dropped for the fifth consecutive year.
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China’s overall population increased by around 480,000 people – to 1.4126 billion in 2021, from 1.412 billion a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) confirmed.

The population includes China’s 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, as well as servicemen, but excludes foreigners. It does not include Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.

China’s population by decade (2010-2021)

Year Population (in billions)
2010 1.34
2011 1.3474
2012 1.354
2013 1.3607
2014 1.3678
2015 1.3746
2016 1.3827
2017 1.3901
2018 1.3954
2019 1.4001
2020 1412
2021 1.4126
SCMP

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

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