China’s Population Shrinks Again in 2025 as Baby Bonuses, Three-Child Policy Fail
China’s population has fallen for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting the deepening demographic crisis facing the world’s second-largest economy. Official data released on January 19, 2026, shows the population dropped by 3.39 million to about 1.4 billion by the end of 2025—an even faster decline than the previous year. Birth rates fell to a record low of 5.63 per 1,000 people, while death rates climbed to their highest level since 1968. Despite scrapping the one-child policy, introducing a three-child limit, cash baby bonuses and extended maternity leave, births have failed to rebound. High living costs, career pressures and an ageing society continue to discourage young Chinese from having children. The UN warns China’s population will keep shrinking, with serious long-term economic and social consequences.
#china
China’s population has fallen for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting the deepening demographic crisis facing the world’s second-largest economy. Official data released on January 19, 2026, shows the population dropped by 3.39 million to about 1.4 billion by the end of 2025—an even faster decline than the previous year. Birth rates fell to a record low of 5.63 per 1,000 people, while death rates climbed to their highest level since 1968. Despite scrapping the one-child policy, introducing a three-child limit, cash baby bonuses and extended maternity leave, births have failed to rebound. High living costs, career pressures and an ageing society continue to discourage young Chinese from having children. The UN warns China’s population will keep shrinking, with serious long-term economic and social consequences.
#china
China’s Population Shrinks Again in 2025 as Baby Bonuses, Three-Child Policy Fail
China’s population has fallen for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting the deepening demographic crisis facing the world’s second-largest economy. Official data released on January 19, 2026, shows the population dropped by 3.39 million to about 1.4 billion by the end of 2025—an even faster decline than the previous year. Birth rates fell to a record low of 5.63 per 1,000 people, while death rates climbed to their highest level since 1968. Despite scrapping the one-child policy, introducing a three-child limit, cash baby bonuses and extended maternity leave, births have failed to rebound. High living costs, career pressures and an ageing society continue to discourage young Chinese from having children. The UN warns China’s population will keep shrinking, with serious long-term economic and social consequences.
#china
