China Population

China is the single most populated and one of the largest countries in the world. China has over 1.4 billion people who call the country home. That is almost 100 million more people than India, the world’s second most populated country. Not only does China have an exceptionally high population, but it’s also huge. China spans over 9.5 million kilometers, making it the fourth largest country behind Russia, Canada, and the United States.

Population control curbs growth

While China’s population dwarfs that of other countries, stringent population control measures that have been in place for decades have limited the country’s current growth rate to less than 1%. In fact, current population predictions show that China’s population will actually drop in the coming decades down to 1,335,573,000 from 1,401,379,000. Even with these measures in place, there are still 34 births per minute in China, but this is the lowest the birth rate has been in seven decades. This transition is quite common when a country undergoes economic development. Countries will often see their population growth decline and birth rates are the first indications of this.

Most of the population is urban

While China might have millions of kilometers within its borders, 40% of its population lives in urban areas. This is predicted to grow to 70% by 2030. This is in large part due to China’s booming economy, which is now the second-largest economy. Higher incomes and better living conditions will continue to attract residents of the Chinese population to cities and towns. This increasing urbanization means that the vast majority of China’s population will be living in a very small area. For example, the combined population of China’s top three largest cities—Shanghai, Beijing, and Chongqing—is about 63,018,532, but the three cities only cover around 100,000 kilometers. So while China does have plenty of room, the large population means that the population density of the country is 145 people per square kilometer.

Intense population density

Since a majority of Chinese citizens prefer to live in cities, the country’s cities have expanded to accommodate the ballooning population. This has led to China having the world’s largest megalopolis. This is typically defined as a group of two or more adjacent metropolitan areas or cluster cities that have expanded to touch each other borders. In China, a region known as the Pearl River Delta has nine major cities joined together, producing a huge population of more than 105 million people, with a GDP more substantial than the whole population of Indonesia. Some of China’s cities also rank as some of the most densely populated in the world, with Hong Kong and Macau placing eighth and ninth, respectively. However, even though China has the largest population in the world, the total size of the country means that its population density—while impressive—ranks 81st in the world.

Religious population breakdown

China has been influenced by many religions over its 1,000-year history, with Taoism, Buddhism, and Christianity having had the most cultural and historical impact on the country. China is an atheist state and doesn’t take official figures on religion; because of this, there aren’t any accurate figures on religious demographics. Nevertheless, a survey taken showed that about 85% of Chinese people have some religious beliefs, while only 15% consider themselves as atheist. These numbers are debated, though.

An unbalanced ratio of men to women

Due to a combination of China’s One-Child policy and the country’s preference for male children, the country has suffered from a high number of sex-selective abortions. This has resulted in a ratio of 120 men to every 100 women. While there are many Chinese men in their late 30s have found themselves unable to marry due to the highly competitive nature of the dating pool, this number is set to quintuple by 2030, which will have a detrimental impact on the country’s population growth.