China's population fell for a fourth straight year in 2025, dropping by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion, official data show (via The Guardian). Births fell to 7.92 million, down 17% from 2024, while deaths rose to 11.31 million, pushing the country's birthrate to a record low of 5.63 per 1,000 people.
Experts warn the trend will exacerbate the country's ageing population and shrink its workforce. Over-60s now account for about 23% of the population, and by 2035 that group could reach 400 million, roughly the combined populations of the US and Italy. Pension budgets and social services will face mounting pressure.
Marriages, a leading indicator of births, fell sharply in 2024 by 20% to just over six million, though new rules allowing couples to marry anywhere in the country sparked a temporary rebound. Authorities are promoting marriage and childbearing, offering subsidies and covering all pregnancy and IVF costs under national insurance starting this year.
China's fertility rate remains extremely low, at about one birth per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1. Urbanisation, rising living costs, and decades of the one-child policy continue to limit family growth, with the number of women of reproductive age projected to shrink by two-thirds by 2100...