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China vs Taiwan: population pyramids compared

China is about 61 times as large as Taiwan, but size is only part of the story. Compare the two age structures on one percentage scale for 2026 and 2050, with every indicator side by side.

Estimate or projection?

UN estimates run through 2023; figures from 2024 onward are medium-scenario projections.

China and Taiwan in 2026

China population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
China population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 4,341 (0.0%) 100+ females: 48,372 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 138,219 (0.0%) 95–99 females: 546,329 (0.0%) 95–99 90–94 males: 1,220,953 (0.1%) 90–94 females: 2,877,048 (0.2%) 90–94 85–89 males: 4,219,703 (0.3%) 85–89 females: 7,091,868 (0.5%) 85–89 80–84 males: 9,334,663 (0.7%) 80–84 females: 13,003,786 (0.9%) 80–84 75–79 males: 18,687,832 (1.3%) 75–79 females: 23,697,183 (1.7%) 75–79 70–74 males: 30,704,345 (2.2%) 70–74 females: 36,374,753 (2.6%) 70–74 65–69 males: 31,394,266 (2.2%) 65–69 females: 34,433,815 (2.4%) 65–69 60–64 males: 50,867,520 (3.6%) 60–64 females: 52,813,111 (3.7%) 60–64 55–59 males: 59,033,504 (4.2%) 55–59 females: 59,415,075 (4.2%) 55–59 50–54 males: 55,143,349 (3.9%) 50–54 females: 54,078,416 (3.8%) 50–54 45–49 males: 47,164,339 (3.3%) 45–49 females: 45,300,863 (3.2%) 45–49 40–44 males: 54,302,383 (3.8%) 40–44 females: 51,170,709 (3.6%) 40–44 35–39 males: 63,689,179 (4.5%) 35–39 females: 58,292,077 (4.1%) 35–39 30–34 males: 49,167,853 (3.5%) 30–34 females: 43,509,173 (3.1%) 30–34 25–29 males: 43,779,311 (3.1%) 25–29 females: 37,770,563 (2.7%) 25–29 20–24 males: 42,415,497 (3.0%) 20–24 females: 36,141,865 (2.6%) 20–24 15–19 males: 46,340,094 (3.3%) 15–19 females: 39,577,852 (2.8%) 15–19 10–14 males: 48,503,553 (3.4%) 10–14 females: 41,971,001 (3.0%) 10–14 5–9 males: 39,075,711 (2.8%) 5–9 females: 34,559,683 (2.4%) 5–9 0–4 males: 23,622,185 (1.7%) 0–4 females: 21,431,744 (1.5%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Taiwan population pyramid

2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Taiwan population pyramid for 2026: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 1,808 (0.0%) 100+ females: 5,484 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 14,165 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 27,643 (0.1%) 95–99 90–94 males: 46,375 (0.2%) 90–94 females: 85,863 (0.4%) 90–94 85–89 males: 118,765 (0.5%) 85–89 females: 189,793 (0.8%) 85–89 80–84 males: 200,668 (0.9%) 80–84 females: 270,148 (1.2%) 80–84 75–79 males: 392,279 (1.7%) 75–79 females: 470,663 (2.0%) 75–79 70–74 males: 638,944 (2.8%) 70–74 females: 729,683 (3.2%) 70–74 65–69 males: 773,990 (3.4%) 65–69 females: 851,511 (3.7%) 65–69 60–64 males: 863,598 (3.8%) 60–64 females: 918,887 (4.0%) 60–64 55–59 males: 867,389 (3.8%) 55–59 females: 901,237 (3.9%) 55–59 50–54 males: 848,187 (3.7%) 50–54 females: 887,788 (3.9%) 50–54 45–49 males: 965,693 (4.2%) 45–49 females: 998,404 (4.3%) 45–49 40–44 males: 903,395 (3.9%) 40–44 females: 910,978 (4.0%) 40–44 35–39 males: 804,546 (3.5%) 35–39 females: 747,734 (3.2%) 35–39 30–34 males: 784,521 (3.4%) 30–34 females: 732,258 (3.2%) 30–34 25–29 males: 690,461 (3.0%) 25–29 females: 642,374 (2.8%) 25–29 20–24 males: 605,984 (2.6%) 20–24 females: 555,332 (2.4%) 20–24 15–19 males: 505,228 (2.2%) 15–19 females: 463,341 (2.0%) 15–19 10–14 males: 553,105 (2.4%) 10–14 females: 514,211 (2.2%) 10–14 5–9 males: 456,040 (2.0%) 5–9 females: 424,193 (1.8%) 5–9 0–4 males: 334,949 (1.5%) 0–4 females: 313,675 (1.4%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Key differences between China and Taiwan

Age. Taiwan is the older population, with a median age of 45.4 years against 40.6 in China — a gap of 4.8 years. China has the larger share of children (14.8% under 15 versus 11.3%), while Taiwan has the larger share aged 65 and over (20.9% versus 15.1%).

Births and survival. China’s fertility rate of 1.03 is below the replacement level, and Taiwan’s 0.86 is below it. Life expectancy at birth is 81.1 years in Taiwan and 79.0 in China.

Dependency. The total age dependency ratio is 42.7 in China (21.1 children and 21.6 older people per 100 aged 15–64) and 47.5 in Taiwan (16.6 and 30.9). Similar totals can hide very different mixes of young and old.

Outlook. Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario has China’s population declines by 11% and Taiwan’s declines by 16%. These are scenario results, not forecasts; how projections work explains the assumptions.

China vs Taiwan: indicators side by side

IndicatorChinaTaiwan
Population, 20261,412,914,08923,011,292
Median age40.6 years45.4 years
Under age 1514.8%11.3%
Aged 15–6470.1%67.8%
Aged 65+15.1%20.9%
Age dependency ratio42.747.5
Fertility rate1.030.86
Life expectancy at birth79.0 years81.1 years
Annual growth-0.2%-0.4%
Males per 100 females103.697.7
Population, 20501,260,289,09319,434,600
Change, 2026–2050-10.8%-15.5%
Population, 2100633,368,11310,016,994
Peak year20212019
Global population rank#2#61

2026, 2050, and 2100 values are UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium-scenario projections.

How the two pyramids could look in 2050

The same scale is kept for the projected charts, so a narrowing base or widening top can be compared directly with the 2026 shapes above.

China population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
China population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 55,075 (0.0%) 100+ females: 330,553 (0.0%) 100+ 95–99 males: 1,081,873 (0.1%) 95–99 females: 3,112,890 (0.2%) 95–99 90–94 males: 5,003,585 (0.4%) 90–94 females: 9,569,733 (0.8%) 90–94 85–89 males: 16,537,541 (1.3%) 85–89 females: 24,171,448 (1.9%) 85–89 80–84 males: 31,824,746 (2.5%) 80–84 females: 40,377,803 (3.2%) 80–84 75–79 males: 40,441,408 (3.2%) 75–79 females: 46,401,808 (3.7%) 75–79 70–74 males: 37,821,349 (3.0%) 70–74 females: 40,307,226 (3.2%) 70–74 65–69 males: 46,103,908 (3.7%) 65–69 females: 46,536,458 (3.7%) 65–69 60–64 males: 58,411,133 (4.6%) 60–64 females: 55,918,906 (4.4%) 60–64 55–59 males: 49,691,348 (3.9%) 55–59 females: 45,343,506 (3.6%) 55–59 50–54 males: 43,219,668 (3.4%) 50–54 females: 37,980,580 (3.0%) 50–54 45–49 males: 41,725,938 (3.3%) 45–49 females: 35,891,461 (2.8%) 45–49 40–44 males: 44,633,383 (3.5%) 40–44 females: 38,141,647 (3.0%) 40–44 35–39 males: 47,457,181 (3.8%) 35–39 females: 40,912,096 (3.2%) 35–39 30–34 males: 41,757,181 (3.3%) 30–34 females: 36,643,899 (2.9%) 30–34 25–29 males: 24,045,679 (1.9%) 25–29 females: 21,623,096 (1.7%) 25–29 20–24 males: 21,315,635 (1.7%) 20–24 females: 19,522,436 (1.5%) 20–24 15–19 males: 21,251,827 (1.7%) 15–19 females: 19,804,263 (1.6%) 15–19 10–14 males: 21,857,089 (1.7%) 10–14 females: 20,492,676 (1.6%) 10–14 5–9 males: 22,168,251 (1.8%) 5–9 females: 20,840,371 (1.7%) 5–9 0–4 males: 20,582,914 (1.6%) 0–4 females: 19,379,528 (1.5%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

Taiwan population pyramid

2050 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex

Medium projection
Taiwan population pyramid for 2050: males on the left and females on the right Male share Female share 100+ males: 6,666 (0.0%) 100+ females: 23,215 (0.1%) 100+ 95–99 males: 52,826 (0.3%) 95–99 females: 117,225 (0.6%) 95–99 90–94 males: 183,625 (0.9%) 90–94 females: 302,473 (1.6%) 90–94 85–89 males: 380,529 (2.0%) 85–89 females: 519,826 (2.7%) 85–89 80–84 males: 542,702 (2.8%) 80–84 females: 665,564 (3.4%) 80–84 75–79 males: 626,558 (3.2%) 75–79 females: 737,875 (3.8%) 75–79 70–74 males: 781,945 (4.0%) 70–74 females: 885,598 (4.6%) 70–74 65–69 males: 815,153 (4.2%) 65–69 females: 887,779 (4.6%) 65–69 60–64 males: 710,029 (3.7%) 60–64 females: 704,358 (3.6%) 60–64 55–59 males: 711,574 (3.7%) 55–59 females: 684,010 (3.5%) 55–59 50–54 males: 616,284 (3.2%) 50–54 females: 586,581 (3.0%) 50–54 45–49 males: 568,999 (2.9%) 45–49 females: 525,107 (2.7%) 45–49 40–44 males: 515,587 (2.7%) 40–44 females: 477,700 (2.5%) 40–44 35–39 males: 560,462 (2.9%) 35–39 females: 525,803 (2.7%) 35–39 30–34 males: 532,445 (2.7%) 30–34 females: 499,858 (2.6%) 30–34 25–29 males: 411,288 (2.1%) 25–29 females: 389,258 (2.0%) 25–29 20–24 males: 358,879 (1.8%) 20–24 females: 340,509 (1.8%) 20–24 15–19 males: 300,635 (1.5%) 15–19 females: 283,493 (1.5%) 15–19 10–14 males: 280,281 (1.4%) 10–14 females: 264,041 (1.4%) 10–14 5–9 males: 273,306 (1.4%) 5–9 females: 257,462 (1.3%) 5–9 0–4 males: 271,440 (1.4%) 0–4 females: 255,651 (1.3%) 0–4 10%5% Age 5%10%

What shapes China’s pyramid

China’s pyramid carries a famine notch at ages 65–69, a 1960s baby-boom bulge above 55 and a thin, male-heavy base after decades of birth limits. Read the full China analysis.

What shapes Taiwan’s pyramid

Taiwan’s pyramid is widest at ages 40–49 and narrows to a base only a third as wide, the result of fertility that has stayed below one child per woman. Read the full Taiwan analysis.

Explore each country in depth

Questions about China and Taiwan

Which population is older, China or Taiwan?

Taiwan is older: its projected 2026 median age is 45.4 years, compared with 40.6 in China.

Which has a higher fertility rate, China or Taiwan?

China has the higher total fertility rate in 2026: 1.03 births per woman, against 0.86 in Taiwan.

Will China or Taiwan have more people in 2050?

Under the UN medium scenario, China is projected to be larger in 2050, with 1.26B people against 19.4M.