Amid the global low birth rate, the population of China, the world's largest populous country, has also gone downhill. According to an announcement by China's National Bureau of Statistics on the 17th, China's population declined for the first time in 60 years last year, falling by 850,000 from the previous year to 1,412.6 million.
Last year, 9.56 million newborns were born in China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), down 9.8% from 10.62 million in 2021. In terms of fertility rate per 1,000 people, it is 6.77, the lowest since the survey began in 1949. In 2021, it was 7.52.
China's population barely exceeded 1.4 billion when the 2020 census was released, but as the decline begins in two years, it is forced to hand over the position of the largest country by population.
The United Nations (UN) predicts that due to China's declining population, India will overtake China as the world's most populous country this year. According to the United Nations, China's population is expected to decline to 1.313 billion in 2050 and to 800 million by 2100.
China completely abolished birth control in 2021, allowing couples to have three or more children, and each province began to roll out various policies to encourage childbirth. However, high child support, changing values among the younger generation regarding family and marriage, and a harsh zero-COVID policy that lasted for three years have fueled population decline.
The declining birth rate and aging population are expected to have a far-reaching negative impact on China's economic growth. [NocutNews]