China’s population falls again as birthrate hits record low

Fourth year of decline deepens concerns over ageing, shrinking workforce and long-term economic impact

China's population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025 as the birthrate plunged to another record low, according to official data, prompting warnings from experts of further decline.

The population dropped by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion, a faster fall than 2024. Births dropped to 7.92 million in 2025, down 17% from 9.54 million in 2024, while deaths rose to 11.31 million from 10.93 million in 2024, figures from China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed. The country's birthrate fell to 5.63 for every 1,000 people.