China birth & fertility rate charts by year

Fertility rate in China by year

According to the latest birth rate data available, the fertility rate in China was 1 in 2023 and has been below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman since 1991. In 1993, the fertility rate was 1.69 — a 40.9% decline in 30 years.

Check population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart above shows the historical changes in fertility rate and ranking compared to other countries, where a lower rank number indicates a higher relative fertility rate.

Births, deaths, and natural population change by year

Over the past 10 years, the natural population change in China (from births and deaths only, excluding migration) has been +0.31% annually. On average, 4,241,452 more people were born each year than died.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was -0.15% — 2,087,851 more people died than were born.

In 2023, China ranks 196/196 for absolute natural population change and 166/196 for natural change rate, where a lower rank number indicates faster natural growth and a higher number indicates greater decline.

Birth rates by women's age

Above is a chart displaying birth rates in China by maternal age. In 2026, of all live births, 2.36% will be to women under age 20, 48.7% to women ages 20-29, and 48.9% to women ages 30 and above. The respective shares in 1990 were 4.97%, 82.7%, and 12.4%.

Children 0-14 years as share of population by year

Chart Table

China

Factual

UN forecast

World

Factual

UN forecast

1x

Year	Children 0-14 as share of population
	China	World
2100	7.83%	16.5%
2099	7.84%	16.6%
2098	7.87%	16.6%
2097	7.91%	16.7%
2096	7.96%	16.8%
2095	8.03%	16.8%
2094	8.1%	16.9%
2093	8.18%	17%
2092	8.26%	17%
2091	8.34%	17.1%
2090	8.41%	17.2%
2089	8.47%	17.2%
2088	8.52%	17.3%
2087	8.55%	17.4%
2086	8.57%	17.4%
2085	8.57%	17.5%
2084	8.56%	17.5%
2083	8.53%	17.6%
2082	8.48%	17.7%
2081	8.41%	17.7%
2080	8.34%	17.8%
2079	8.25%	17.8%
2078	8.15%	17.9%
2077	8.06%	17.9%
2076	7.96%	18%
2075	7.86%	18%
2074	7.77%	18.1%
2073	7.7%	18.2%
2072	7.64%	18.2%
2071	7.6%	18.3%
2070	7.58%	18.3%
2069	7.59%	18.4%
2068	7.63%	18.5%
2067	7.7%	18.6%
2066	7.8%	18.6%
2065	7.93%	18.7%
2064	8.08%	18.8%
2063	8.25%	18.9%
2062	8.44%	19.1%
2061	8.64%	19.2%
2060	8.84%	19.3%
2059	9.03%	19.4%
2058	9.22%	19.5%
2057	9.39%	19.6%
2056	9.54%	19.8%
2055	9.67%	19.9%
2054	9.78%	20%
2053	9.86%	20.1%
2052	9.92%	20.2%
2051	9.94%	20.3%
2050	9.94%	20.4%
2049	9.92%	20.5%
2048	9.88%	20.6%
2047	9.82%	20.7%
2046	9.75%	20.8%
2045	9.67%	20.9%
2044	9.59%	20.9%
2043	9.52%	21%
2042	9.46%	21.1%
2041	9.4%	21.2%
2040	9.35%	21.2%
2039	9.32%	21.3%
2038	9.3%	21.4%
2037	9.32%	21.5%
2036	9.42%	21.6%
2035	9.63%	21.8%
2034	10%	22%
2033	10.5%	22.2%
2032	11.2%	22.4%
2031	11.8%	22.7%
2030	12.4%	23%
2029	13.1%	23.3%
2028	13.8%	23.6%
2027	14.5%	23.9%
2026	15.1%	24.2%
2025	15.7%	24.6%
2024	16%	24.7%
2023	16.6%	25%
2022	17.1%	25.3%
2021	17.6%	25.6%
2020	18%	25.8%
2019	18.2%	26%
2018	18.3%	26.2%
2017	18.4%	26.4%
2016	18.3%	26.5%
2015	18.3%	26.6%
2014	18.3%	26.8%
2013	18.3%	26.9%
2012	18.3%	27%
2011	18.3%	27.1%
2010	18.5%	27.3%
2009	18.6%	27.5%
2008	18.9%	27.6%
2007	19.2%	27.9%
2006	19.6%	28.1%
2005	20.3%	28.5%
2004	21.2%	28.8%
2003	22%	29.2%
2002	22.9%	29.6%
2001	23.8%	30%
2000	24.5%	30.4%
1999	25.2%	30.8%
1998	25.7%	31.1%
1997	26.3%	31.5%
1996	27%	31.8%
1995	27.4%	32.1%
1994	27.8%	32.3%
1993	28.2%	32.5%
1992	28.4%	32.7%
1991	28.6%	32.9%
1990	28.8%	33%
1989	28.9%	33.2%
1988	29.3%	33.4%
1987	29.8%	33.6%
1986	30.4%	33.8%
1985	31.2%	34%
1984	32.2%	34.3%
1983	33.3%	34.6%
1982	34.3%	34.9%
1981	35.1%	35.2%
1980	36.1%	35.5%
1979	37.2%	35.9%
1978	38.6%	36.3%
1977	39.8%	36.7%
1976	40.3%	36.9%
1975	40.2%	37.1%
1974	40.2%	37.2%
1973	40.1%	37.3%
1972	40.4%	37.5%
1971	40.7%	37.6%
1970	40.8%	37.7%
1969	41%	37.8%
1968	41%	37.9%
1967	41.3%	38%
1966	41.5%	38%
1965	41.5%	38%
1964	41.2%	38%
1963	40.6%	37.8%
1962	40%	37.6%
1961	40%	37.5%
1960	40.3%	37.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in China was 40.3% in 1960, 28.4% in 1992, and 16% as of the latest data in 2024.

More about the demographics of China.

Maternal mortality by year

Chart Table

China

World's average

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
	China	World
2023	16	197
2022	18	203
2021	21	242
2020	20	211
2019	21	207
2018	22	211
2017	24	215
2016	25	220
2015	26	228
2014	28	231
2013	30	235
2012	32	239
2011	33	247
2010	34	253
2009	35	258
2008	38	264
2007	38	269
2006	40	276
2005	42	283
2004	45	291
2003	47	301
2002	50	311
2001	52	321
2000	56	328
1999	58	340
1998	60	360
1997	63	358
1996	67	366
1995	71	371
1994	76	382
1993	80	389
1992	86	395
1991	92	395
1990	102	391
1989	104	401
1988	108	414
1987	114	429
1986	120	438
1985	125	460

The maternal mortality rate in China was 16 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.02% chance of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. This is a 71.4% decrease compared to the year 2000.

Under-five mortality by year

Chart Table

China

World's average

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
	China	World
2023	0.62%	2.49%
2022	0.66%	2.59%
2021	0.7%	2.66%
2020	0.75%	2.75%
2019	0.8%	2.86%
2018	0.86%	2.97%
2017	0.92%	3.11%
2016	0.99%	3.22%
2015	1.07%	3.35%
2014	1.15%	3.48%
2013	1.25%	3.61%
2012	1.35%	3.77%
2011	1.46%	3.97%
2010	1.58%	4.11%
2009	1.71%	4.31%
2008	1.85%	4.5%
2007	2.01%	4.7%
2006	2.19%	4.92%
2005	2.4%	5.16%
2004	2.64%	5.43%
2003	2.89%	5.65%
2002	3.15%	5.94%
2001	3.42%	6.21%
2000	3.67%	6.48%
1999	3.91%	6.75%
1998	4.14%	7.05%
1997	4.36%	7.28%
1996	4.56%	7.52%
1995	4.75%	7.76%
1994	4.93%	7.98%
1993	5.08%	8.19%
1992	5.22%	8.46%
1991	5.31%	8.66%
1990	5.37%	8.81%
1989	5.39%	9.02%
1988	5.4%	9.31%
1987	5.4%	9.47%
1986	5.4%	9.81%
1985	5.43%	10.1%
1984	5.5%	10.4%
1983	5.61%	10.6%
1982	5.78%	10.8%
1981	6%	11%
1980	6.28%	11.4%
1979	6.62%	11.7%
1978	7.01%	12.2%
1977	7.47%	12.6%
1976	7.97%	13%
1975	8.5%	13.4%
1974	9.05%	13.8%
1973	9.61%	14.1%
1972	10.2%	14.5%
1971	10.7%	15.1%
1970	11.3%	15.2%
1969	11.9%	15.4%
1968	-	15.6%
1967	-	15.9%
1966	-	16.1%
1965	-	16.4%
1964	-	16.6%
1963	-	16.5%
1962	-	16.7%
1961	-	17%
1960	-	17.2%

The under-5 mortality rate in China was 6.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.62% chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five. This is down from 36.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000.