China’s population dropped for a fourth straight year in 2025, as it experienced a negative growth rate of 2.41 per 1,000 people. File Photo by Mark R. Cristino/EPA
China’s population dropped for a fourth straight year in 2025, according to statistics released Monday that show a national population of 1.405 billion people, a drop of 3.39 million from 2024.
Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics of China show that there were 7.92 million births last year for a birth rate of 5.63 per 1,000 people, a steady drop from the 9.54 million births and a birth rate of 6.77 recorded in 2024.
Deaths also increased last year, with 11.31 million deaths and a mortality rate of 8.04 per 1,000 being recorded. In 2024, there were nearly 11 million deaths with a death rate of 7.76.
China experienced a negative 2.41 growth rate per 1,000 people, according to the statistics.
China’s population has been on a steady decline since 2022 with births hitting a then-record low of 6.39 births per 1,000.
It also comes as its population rapidly ages. Statistics show that more than 323.38 million people, accounting for 23% of its total population, are over the age of 60, with nearly 16% being over the age of 65. In 2024, the percentage of people aged 60 and above was 22% and those aged 65 and above were 15.6%.
