China sees number of births in 2024 increase

China's number of births in 2024 increased by 520,000 compared to 2023, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.

In 2024, the number of births was 9.54 million with a birth rate of 6.77 per thousand and the number of deaths was 10.93 million with a mortality rate of 7.76 per thousand, the official data shows. The natural population growth rate was negative 0.99 per thousand.

However, in comparison, the number of births in 2023 was 9.02 million, with a birth rate of 6.39 percent. Based on this, the NBS suggested that the number of births in 2024 increased by 520,000 compared to 2023.

The national population was 1,408.28 million by the end of 2024, a decrease of 1.39 million over that at the end of 2023, according to data released by the NBS on Friday. The national population includes the population of 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen, but excludes residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreigners living in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, the NBS said.

In terms of gender, the male population was 719.09 million, and the female population was 689.19 million. The sex ratio of the total population was 104.34 (the female is 100). 

In terms of age structure, the population aged 16 to 59 was 857.98 million, accounting for 60.9 percent of the total population; the population aged 60 and over was 310.31 million, accounting for 22 percent of the total, per the NBS.