China Population Pyramid (2026)
China has a population of 1,412,914,088 in 2026, according to the UN World Population Prospects 2024 (projection for 1 July). That is the 2nd-largest population in the world and 17.02% of the global total of 8.30 billion. Children under 15 make up 14.8% of the population and people aged 65 and over 15.1%, with 103.6 males for every 100 females.
China Demographics
China has 1.41 billion people in 2026, up 71.6% from 823.3 million in 1970.
Deaths outnumber births by 2,856,811 (UN projection for 2026).
Under-15 share 14.8% — the 29th-lowest of 194 countries.
Median age 40.6 — the 40th-highest of 194 countries.
Largest generation: Gen X — 24.3% (343,476,666)
All generations in China →
Population pyramid, 1950 to 2026
Watch how China's population structure evolved from 1950 to 2026
Page Navigation(Quick jump to sections)
Sex Ratio & Gender Distribution
China has 103.6 males per 100 females (sex ratio)
Men outnumber women by 24,703,514 (1.7% of the population).
Male Statistics
- Population:718,808,801
- Percentage:50.9%
Female Statistics
- Population:694,105,287
- Percentage:49.1%
- Ratio Format:1:0.966
Sex Ratio Analysis
The sex ratio of China indicates more males than females.
Birth Statistics & Natality Data
Estimated births today
Simulated from the UN WPP 2024 projection of 8,625,232 births in 2026.
Current Birth Metrics (2026)
Temporal Distribution
Averages from the UN annual births, 2026 projection
Historical Birth Rate Trends, 1950 to 2026
Birth Statistics, 2021 to 2026
| Year | Births | Birth Rate (per 1,000) | TFR (children/woman) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,461,124 | 7.3 | 1.12 | estimate |
| 2022 | 9,455,320 | 6.6 | 1.03 | estimate |
| 2023 | 8,899,881 | 6.3 | 1.00 | estimate |
| 2024 | 8,822,056 | 6.2 | 1.01 | projection |
| 2025 | 8,709,352 | 6.2 | 1.02 | projection |
| 2026 | 8,625,232 | 6.1 | 1.03 | projection |
Historical Analysis
Global Context (2026)
Source: UN WPP 2024: births, birth rate and fertility for 2024 and later are medium-variant projections; 1950–2023 are estimates. The live counter is a uniform simulation of the 2026 projection (8,625,232 births), not a real-time feed.
Median Age Analysis
China's median age is 40.6 years
Half the population is younger than 40.6 years, half is older — indicating a middle-aged society
Complete Age Distribution & Youth Demographics
| Age Group | Population | % | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 45,053,929 | 3.2% | Youth |
| 5-9 | 73,635,396 | 5.2% | Youth |
| 10-14 | 90,474,553 | 6.4% | Youth |
| 15-19 | 85,917,946 | 6.1% | Young Adult |
| 20-24 | 78,557,364 | 5.6% | Young Adult |
| 25-29 | 81,549,875 | 5.8% | Working Age |
| 30-34 | 92,677,027 | 6.6% | Working Age |
| 35-39 | 121,981,256 | 8.6% | Working Age |
| 40-44 | 105,473,091 | 7.5% | Working Age |
| 45-49 | 92,465,202 | 6.5% | Working Age |
| 50-54 | 109,221,765 | 7.7% | Working Age |
| 55-59 | 118,448,578 | 8.4% | Working Age |
| 60-64 | 103,680,632 | 7.3% | Working Age |
| 65-69 | 65,828,082 | 4.7% | Senior |
| 70-74 | 67,079,098 | 4.7% | Senior |
| 75-79 | 42,385,015 | 3.0% | Senior |
| 80-84 | 22,338,448 | 1.6% | Senior |
| 85-89 | 11,311,573 | 0.8% | Senior |
| 90-94 | 4,098,001 | 0.3% | Senior |
| 95-99 | 684,547 | 0.0% | Senior |
| 100+ | 52,714 | 0.0% | Senior |
Demographic Transition Model (DTM) Stage
Stage 5 (natural decrease): deaths outnumber births — 6.1 births and 8.1 deaths per 1,000 people in 2026. Read more about Stage 5 of the Demographic Transition Model.
Fertility Rate & Birth Statistics
China Total Fertility Rate: 1.03 children per woman
Below the replacement level of 2.1
Fertility Rate Trends
Historical data (solid line) and future projections (dashed line)
Historical Fertility Trends
| Year | Total Fertility Rate | Birth Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1.12 | 7.3 | |
| 2022 | 1.03 | 6.6 | ↓0.09 |
| 2023 | 1.00 | 6.3 | ↓0.03 |
| 2024 | 1.01 | 6.2 | ↑0.01 |
| 2025 | 1.02 | 6.2 | ↑0.01 |
| 2026 | 1.03 | 6.1 | ↑0.01 |
Global Context
- • World Average: 2.23 children per woman
- • Comparison: Below global average
- • UN projection for 2030: 1.06
China's total fertility rate is 1.03 children per woman in 2026 (very low (lowest-low) fertility), below the replacement level of 2.1. China ranks 191 of 194 for fertility rate (1 = highest), in the lowest third of countries. The fertility rate has changed by −82.3% since 1950.
Historical Demographic Changes
Between 1950 and 2026, China's population has increased by 159.7%.
The median age has increased from 22.2 in 1950 to 40.6 in 2026, indicating population aging.
Understanding China's Demographics
China has a constrictive population pyramid — a base narrower than the middle, so younger cohorts are smaller than the ones above them.
Children under 15 make up 14.8% of the population and people aged 65 and over 15.1%.
The largest five-year age band is 35–39, at 8.6% of the population, compared with 3.2% in the 0–4 band.
Demographic Analysis: China's Population Structure
Demographic Dividend Window
China's working-age share peaked in 2010 at 72.9% and is 70.1% in 2026.
Fertility Transition Stage
China is in a period of very low (lowest-low) fertility, with a total fertility rate of 1.03 children per woman (2026, UN WPP 2024).
Population Aging Speed
China's median age changed by +4.6 years from 2016 to 2026, faster than the world average (+2.6 years).
Key Demographics
| Total Population | 1,412,914,088 |
| Male Population | 718,808,801(50.9%) |
| Female Population | 694,105,287(49.1%) |
| Median Age | 40.6 years |
| Sex Ratio | 103.6 males per 100 females |
| Youth (0-14) | 209,163,878(14.8%) |
| Working Age (15-64) | 989,972,732(70.1%) |
| Elderly (65+) | 213,777,478(15.1%) |
| Total Dependency Ratio | 42.7 |
| Youth Dependency Ratio | 21.1 |
| Old Age Dependency Ratio | 21.6 |
| Pyramid Type | Constrictive |
Dependency Ratios: Number of dependents per 100 working-age individuals.
Demographic Data Visualizations
Total population, 1950–2026 (UN WPP 2024; 2024 onward are projections).
Median age, 1950–2026 (UN WPP 2024; 2024 onward are projections).
Youth, working-age and elderly shares, 1950 vs 2026 (UN WPP 2024).
Age distribution in 2026: youth, working-age and elderly shares (UN WPP 2024; projection).
Life Expectancy in China
How long the average person in China is expected to live · sourced from UN WPP 2024
Historical Trend, 1950 → 2026 (plus UN projection to 2100)
Solid: actual · Dashed: medium-variant projectionFuture Demographic Trends
China is projected to shrink to 1.26 billion people by 2050 (−10.8% from 2026).
The median age rises from 40.6 in 2026 to 52.1 by 2050.
Major Events That Shaped China's Demographics
Understanding the historical events and policy decisions that created China's current population structure.
One-Child Policy Implementation
1979-2015China enforced strict family planning policies limiting most families to one child.
Demographic Impact
Total fertility fell from 2.75 children per woman in 1979 to 1.67 by 2015, and the sex ratio at birth rose to 117.1 boys per 100 girls by 2010.
Great Leap Forward Famine
1958-1962Economic policies led to widespread famine and demographic crisis.
Demographic Impact
Life expectancy at birth fell from 48.8 years in 1958 to 33.4 by 1960, the crude death rate rose to 29.8 per 1,000, and the crude birth rate fell from 37.7 to 29.5.
Economic Reform and Rural-Urban Migration
1978-presentMarket reforms from 1978 drew large numbers of rural workers into China's cities.
Demographic Impact
Total fertility fell from 2.72 children per woman in 1978 to 1.24 by 2020.
China's Demographic Evolution by Decade
The population increased by 19.4%, growing from 823.3 million in 1970 to 983.2 million by 1980
The median age increased by 2.9 years, indicating population aging during this period
The youth population share contracted by 4.7 percentage points
Meanwhile, the elderly population proportion grew by 0.7 percentage points.
Key Demographic Highlights
- • Population changed from 823.3M to 983.2M
- • Growth rate of 19.4% over the decade
- • Median age shifted from 18.0 to 20.9 years (+2.9y)
- • 65+ share changed by +0.7 points; under-15 share by −4.7 points
How Does China Compare to Its Neighbors?
China has a younger population than Russia. China has an older population than India, Mongolia, Kazakhstan.
China
India
Russia
Mongolia
Kazakhstan
| Country | Population | Median Age | Youth % | Elderly % | Pyramid Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China (Current) | 1,412,914,088 | 40.6 | 14.8% | 15.1% | constrictive |
| India | 1,476,625,577 | 29.2 | 23.8% | 7.6% | stationary |
| Russia | 143,394,458 | 40.7 | 16.7% | 18.4% | constrictive |
| Mongolia | 3,556,798 | 27.0 | 30.9% | 5.7% | expansive |
| Kazakhstan | 21,083,626 | 29.7 | 28.9% | 9.3% | stationary |
Frequently Asked Questions About China
How does China rank globally by population?
China ranks 2nd in the world by population with 1.41 billion people as of 2026, representing 17.02% of the global total of 8.30 billion.
What does China's age structure reveal about its development?
China's age structure — 14.8% under 15, 70.1% working-age (15–64) and 15.1% aged 65+ — is that of a country in Stage 5 of the demographic transition, with a constrictive population pyramid. The median age is 40.6 years.
What is the dependency ratio in China?
China has 42.7 people under 15 or aged 65+ per 100 people aged 15–64 in 2026.
Is China experiencing a demographic dividend?
China has moved past its demographic-dividend window. China's working-age share peaked in 2010 at 72.9% and is 70.1% in 2026. The demographic dividend occurs when falling fertility creates a bulge in the working-age population while dependency ratios stay manageable.
What are the gender dynamics in China's population?
China has more males than females, with 103.6 males per 100 females.
Compare with Other Countries
Data Sources & Methodology
All population data is sourced from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. The data represents UN medium-variant projections.
Cite this page: Population Pyramids. (2026). China Population Pyramid and Demographic Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.populationpyramids.org/china
View UN World Population Prospects Data →