China — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for China, 1961–2025.
Population growth for China was -0.17% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.79% in 1966. The lowest was -1.02% in 1961 (about 6.0× the latest value).
China ranks 188 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 87%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so China sits below it. It peaked in 1966 and has fallen 106% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 129%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 29 of 37 economies; Palau (-0.18%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 692% in 2023. That is 175% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 216th of 216 in 1961 → 60th of 216 in 1970 → 140th of 216 in 1980 → 132nd of 216 in 1990 → 147th of 217 in 2000 → 152nd of 217 in 2010 → 151st of 217 in 2020 → 188th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | -0.12% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | -0.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 0.09% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 0.24% | -0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 0.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 0.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 0.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 0.57% | -0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 0.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 0.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 0.67% | -0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 0.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 0.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 0.48% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 0.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 0.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 0.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 0.59% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 0.59% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 0.62% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 0.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 0.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 0.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 0.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 0.96% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 1.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 1.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 1.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 1.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 1.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 1.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 1.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 1.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 1.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 1.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 1.6% | +0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 1.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 1.36% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 1.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 1.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 1.47% | +0.2 pp |
| 1981 | 1.28% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 1.25% | -0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 1.33% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 1.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 1.36% | -0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 1.55% | -0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 1.77% | -0.3 pp |
| 1974 | 2.07% | -0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 2.28% | -0.2 pp |
| 1972 | 2.46% | -0.3 pp |
| 1971 | 2.75% | -0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.76% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 2.74% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 2.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 2.57% | -0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 2.79% | +0.4 pp |
| 1965 | 2.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 2.46% | +1.6 pp |
| 1962 | 0.82% | +1.8 pp |
| 1961 | -1.02% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was China’s Population growth in 1962?
0.82% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is China’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +83.3% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: -0.17%; 2024: -0.12%; 2023: -0.1%; 2022: -0.01%; 2021: 0.09%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.