The latest population statistics show that the number of people living in China has gone down for the first time in sixty years.
The national birth rate – which measures the number of babies born – has also hit a record low. For a long time China has had the largest population in the world, however, this latest news shows that they may soon be overtaken by India.
What is China’s population at the moment?
China’s official population is currently 1.41175 billion. That sounds like a lot but it is 850,000 people less than last year. In a census from 2021, it was revealed that populations in other countries in East Asia are also shrinking, including in Japan and South Korea.
Why is the population in China falling?
There are lots of different reasons for the drop in population. One of the main factors is Covid-19, which had a big impact on China’s economy. This has resulted in less money to raise children.
China’s population history
In 1979, the country introduced a strict law – called the one-child policy. This meant people were only allowed to have one child – so millions of Chinese children did not have any siblings.
This law was very strict – with people facing large fines or even losing their jobs if they had more than one child after the law was made. This was kept in place until 2015, when the law was lifted.
Because this law was in place, people were limited to how many children they could have – which led to the population growth slowing down.
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