China’s birth rate hits record low as population continues to shrink

China’s birth rate hits record low as population continues to shrink
January 19, 2026

China recorded its lowest-ever birth rate in 2025, as the country’s population fell for the fourth consecutive year, intensifying a demographic crisis that could burden the world’s second-largest economy for decades. According to official data, China’s population declined to 1.404 billion in 2025, down by about 3 million from the previous year.

Births plunge 17% in 2025

Only 7.92 million babies were born in 2025, a sharp drop of 1.62 million, or 17 per cent, compared to the previous year. The data also show that the slight uptick in births recorded in 2024 was short-lived. In fact, births had already been falling continuously for seven years until 2023.

Most families cite the costs and pressure of raising a child in a highly competitive society as significant hurdles that now loom larger in the face of an economic downturn that has impacted households struggling to meet their living costs.

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