China population pyramid 2026
1,412,914,089 people in 2026 (projected). 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.
- 2026 population
- 1.41Brank 2 of 237
- Median age
- 40.6 yearsoldest rank 58
- Fertility rate
- 1.03births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older15.1% age 65+
China population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
Download this population pyramid
Use the publication-ready SVG, create a high-resolution PNG, or download the complete age-by-sex dataset.
The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
China age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 14.8% of the population, while 15.1% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 70.1% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies China’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 42.7: about 43 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (21.1 children and 21.6 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes China’s population pyramid
The famine notch and the 1960s boom
The sharpest step in China’s 2026 pyramid lies between ages 65–69 and 60–64. People born in 1959–61, the years of famine that followed the Great Leap Forward, are now aged 65–67, and births in those years fell steeply while infant deaths rose. As a result the 65–69 band is no wider than the older 70–74 band, while the 60–64 band below it is more than half as large again. Fertility rebounded strongly from 1962, and the cohorts born in 1962–71 now fill ages 55–64, with 55–59 among the widest bands in the pyramid.
Birth planning and its echoes
The 1970s “later, longer, fewer” campaign cut the total fertility rate from about six in 1970 to under three by 1980, which shows up as a narrower 45–49 band (born 1977–81) between the wider 40–44 and 50–54 bands. The one-child policy followed from 1980. Yet the bulge at 35–39 (born 1987–91) is the widest band of all: it is an echo, produced when the big 1960s cohorts reached their main childbearing years, even under strict limits. The policy was relaxed to two children in 2016 and three in 2021; the 10–14 band (born 2012–16) is visibly wider than the 5–9 band beneath it, but the recovery was brief. Annual births have stayed below 10 million since 2022, and the 0–4 band is now less than half the width of 55–59. Compare this shape with the far broader base in the India vs China pyramid comparison, or with an older but more gradual profile in Japan vs China.
A male surplus among the young
Every band under 30 holds more males than females; at ages 15–19 the gap is about 118 males per 100 females. Son preference combined with prenatal sex selection pushed China’s reported sex ratio at birth well above the biological norm of about 105 from the late 1980s, peaking in the 2000s. The guide to sex ratios by age explains why these cohorts will carry the imbalance into marriage and working ages.
In the UN medium scenario China falls to about 1.26 billion people by 2050, with a median age near 52 and the widest band at ages 60–64, as the China 2050 pyramid shows.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70–74 | 1952–1956 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +24% |
| 35–39 | 1987–1991 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +23% |
| 65–69 | 1957–1961 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −23% |
| 45–49 | 1977–1981 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −14% |
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2021; they also did so in 1960, but births then outnumbered deaths again. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2025 and 2026.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, China is projected to record 8,625,232 births (about one birth every 3.7 seconds) and 11,482,043 deaths, a natural decrease of 2,856,811. Net migration adds −232,107 people, ranking #113 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 386,410,950 births, 220,696,556 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −9,532,387. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −5,186,378 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 81.8 years45.7 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 76.4 years42.2 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 18.3 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 5.4per 1,000 births · 127 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 6.8per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.4 yearssex ratio at birth 109.3
Women in China are projected to live 5.4 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 127 to 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #163 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.4 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for China
The median age of 40.6 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.03 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 79.0 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,412,914,089 | #2 | Largest first |
| Median age | 40.6 years | #58 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.03 | #228 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.2% | #190 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 79.0 years | #71 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 15.1% | #83 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in China
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35–39 | 121,981,256 | 8.6% | 63.7M / 58.3M |
| 2 | 55–59 | 118,448,579 | 8.4% | 59M / 59.4M |
| 3 | 50–54 | 109,221,765 | 7.7% | 55.1M / 54.1M |
| 4 | 40–44 | 105,473,092 | 7.5% | 54.3M / 51.2M |
| 5 | 60–64 | 103,680,631 | 7.3% | 50.9M / 52.8M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, China has 718,808,801 males and 694,105,288 females. That is 103.6 males per 100 females, ranking #30 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.9% of the population and females for 49.1%. There are 24,703,513 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 81.1 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 109.3 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, above the biological norm of about 105 (see the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How China has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 544,044,358 in 1950 to 1,412,914,089 in 2026, a change of 160%. Over the same span, median age moved from 22.2 to 40.6 years.
The under-15 share changed from 34.8% to 14.8%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 5.0% to 15.1%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the China population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, China’s population is projected to decline by about 11%, reaching 1,260,289,093 in 2050. The median age changes from 40.6 to 52.1 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 15.8 percentage points to 30.9%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 9.9%. The China population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 1,426,437,267 in 2021. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 544,044,358 | 22.2 | 5.81 | 43.8 | 22,293,375 | 12,564,024 | −20,646 | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 654,802,069 | 19.9 | 4.45 | 33.4 | 19,310,830 | 19,506,188 | −16,927 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | 823,308,967 | 18.0 | 6.08 | 56.8 | 31,461,750 | 9,817,575 | −126,510 | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 983,163,542 | 20.9 | 2.74 | 64.2 | 21,674,421 | 7,507,117 | −20,129 | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 1,153,582,724 | 23.7 | 2.51 | 68.2 | 28,079,115 | 7,975,059 | −11,187 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 1,269,581,175 | 29.0 | 1.63 | 72.3 | 17,551,191 | 7,780,052 | −62,622 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1,351,561,514 | 34.1 | 1.69 | 75.7 | 17,912,367 | 8,788,797 | −184,144 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 1,426,106,093 | 37.5 | 1.24 | 78.0 | 11,843,469 | 10,411,385 | −91,577 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 1,422,584,933 | 39.1 | 1.00 | 78.0 | 8,899,881 | 11,684,177 | −567,724 | -0.2% |
| 2024* | 1,419,321,278 | 39.6 | 1.01 | 78.0 | 8,822,056 | 11,678,348 | −318,992 | -0.2% |
| 2026* | 1,412,914,089 | 40.6 | 1.03 | 79.0 | 8,625,232 | 11,482,043 | −232,107 | -0.2% |
| 2030* | 1,398,153,832 | 42.9 | 1.06 | 79.8 | 8,359,513 | 12,415,076 | −199,192 | -0.3% |
| 2040* | 1,342,816,657 | 48.6 | 1.13 | 81.7 | 8,678,993 | 15,166,698 | −206,247 | -0.5% |
| 2050* | 1,260,289,093 | 52.1 | 1.18 | 83.4 | 7,371,348 | 17,526,294 | −171,498 | -0.8% |
| 2060* | 1,135,127,190 | 54.7 | 1.23 | 84.9 | 5,031,775 | 18,796,525 | −173,618 | -1.2% |
| 2070* | 998,784,319 | 57.7 | 1.27 | 86.3 | 4,992,558 | 17,896,301 | −121,007 | -1.3% |
| 2080* | 870,252,344 | 61.4 | 1.29 | 87.5 | 4,494,699 | 17,303,063 | −117,490 | -1.5% |
| 2090* | 744,902,836 | 61.4 | 1.32 | 88.7 | 3,389,728 | 15,111,620 | −86,894 | -1.6% |
| 2100* | 633,368,113 | 60.7 | 1.35 | 89.8 | 3,099,844 | 13,655,448 | −77,792 | -1.7% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 23,622,185 | 21,431,744 | 45,053,929 | 3.2% |
| 5–9 | 39,075,711 | 34,559,683 | 73,635,394 | 5.2% |
| 10–14 | 48,503,553 | 41,971,001 | 90,474,554 | 6.4% |
| 15–19 | 46,340,094 | 39,577,852 | 85,917,946 | 6.1% |
| 20–24 | 42,415,497 | 36,141,865 | 78,557,362 | 5.6% |
| 25–29 | 43,779,311 | 37,770,563 | 81,549,874 | 5.8% |
| 30–34 | 49,167,853 | 43,509,173 | 92,677,026 | 6.6% |
| 35–39 | 63,689,179 | 58,292,077 | 121,981,256 | 8.6% |
| 40–44 | 54,302,383 | 51,170,709 | 105,473,092 | 7.5% |
| 45–49 | 47,164,339 | 45,300,863 | 92,465,202 | 6.5% |
| 50–54 | 55,143,349 | 54,078,416 | 109,221,765 | 7.7% |
| 55–59 | 59,033,504 | 59,415,075 | 118,448,579 | 8.4% |
| 60–64 | 50,867,520 | 52,813,111 | 103,680,631 | 7.3% |
| 65–69 | 31,394,266 | 34,433,815 | 65,828,081 | 4.7% |
| 70–74 | 30,704,345 | 36,374,753 | 67,079,098 | 4.7% |
| 75–79 | 18,687,832 | 23,697,183 | 42,385,015 | 3.0% |
| 80–84 | 9,334,663 | 13,003,786 | 22,338,449 | 1.6% |
| 85–89 | 4,219,703 | 7,091,868 | 11,311,571 | 0.8% |
| 90–94 | 1,220,953 | 2,877,048 | 4,098,001 | 0.3% |
| 95–99 | 138,219 | 546,329 | 684,548 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 4,341 | 48,372 | 52,713 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to China’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Sint Maarten (Dutch part)95% overlap · median age 42.0
- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba94% overlap · median age 39.7
- Cuba94% overlap · median age 42.5
- Ukraine94% overlap · median age 41.8
- Belarus94% overlap · median age 41.8
- Thailand94% overlap · median age 41.0
Compare China with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for China.
Use this chart in your work
Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
Embed the population pyramid
Cite this page
APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). China Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/china/
MLA
“China Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/china/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “China Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/china/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of China in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, China's population in 2026 is projected at 1,412,914,089.
What is the median age in China?
The projected median age in China in 2026 is 40.6 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in China?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.03 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is China's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 11%, from 1.41B to 1.26B.
What share of China is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 15.1% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 30.9%.
How many babies are born in China each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 8,625,232 births and 11,482,043 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 3.7 seconds. Deaths exceed births by 2,856,811.
What is life expectancy in China for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 81.8 years for women and 76.4 years for men, a gap of 5.4 years in favour of women.
Does China have more immigrants or emigrants?
China is projected to lose about 232,107 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −9,532,387.
What is the sex ratio in China?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 103.6 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.