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Graphic shows number of births by year and falling Chinese fertility rate.
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POPULATION

China’s population crisis worsens

By Jordi Bou

January 17, 2022 - China’s birth rate dropped to a record low in 2021 despite government efforts to encourage families to have more children.

There were 10.62 million babies born in China last year, down from 12 million in 2020, according to data released by the National Statistics Bureau on Monday. That’s the fewest number of births since at least 1950, according to calculations based on official data.

The birth rate, or the number of newborns per 1,000 people, dropped to 7.52 last year, the lowest level since at least 1978.

The high cost of living, delayed marriages and lack of social mobility are frequently cited as contributing factors to young Chinese people’s reluctance to have children.

China, like much of east Asia, is in the grip of a population crisis, with lowering birthrates, and predictions of imminent negative population growth and an ageing population.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 17/01/2022; STORY: Graphic News
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