Male population by age group in China
China: Male population by age group was 30.65 million people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
30.65 million people
Change on year
down 11.7%
World rank
2nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
70.99 million people
in 1972
All-time low
30.65 million people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Male population by age group in China, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for male population by age group in China is 30.65 million people, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 11.7% on the previous year and down 36.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, male population by age group in China peaked at 70.99 million people in 1972 and was at its lowest, 30.65 million people, in 2023.
That places China 2nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Male population by age group in China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 40.53 million people | — |
| 1951 | 43.03 million people | +6.2% |
| 1952 | 45.80 million people | +6.5% |
| 1953 | 48.58 million people | +6.1% |
| 1954 | 50.95 million people | +4.9% |
| 1955 | 53.07 million people | +4.2% |
| 1956 | 54.47 million people | +2.6% |
| 1957 | 55.52 million people | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 56.13 million people | +1.1% |
| 1959 | 54.53 million people | -2.8% |
| 1960 | 50.47 million people | -7.4% |
| 1961 | 46.14 million people | -8.6% |
| 1962 | 44.73 million people | -3.1% |
| 1963 | 48.11 million people | +7.5% |
| 1964 | 53.74 million people | +11.7% |
| 1965 | 59.51 million people | +10.7% |
| 1966 | 65.44 million people | +10.0% |
| 1967 | 68.66 million people | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 68.70 million people | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 68.84 million people | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 69.66 million people | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 70.38 million people | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 70.99 million people | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 70.58 million people | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 68.68 million people | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 65.73 million people | -4.3% |
| 1976 | 62.20 million people | -5.4% |
| 1977 | 58.65 million people | -5.7% |
| 1978 | 55.17 million people | -5.9% |
| 1979 | 52.59 million people | -4.7% |
| 1980 | 51.41 million people | -2.2% |
| 1981 | 51.39 million people | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 52.67 million people | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 54.15 million people | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 55.07 million people | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 56.26 million people | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 57.90 million people | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 59.75 million people | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 61.90 million people | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 64.32 million people | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 66.57 million people | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 66.89 million people | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 64.59 million people | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 61.59 million people | -4.6% |
| 1994 | 58.28 million people | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 54.26 million people | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 51.08 million people | -5.9% |
| 1997 | 49.31 million people | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 47.87 million people | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 46.59 million people | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 45.70 million people | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 45.05 million people | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 44.40 million people | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 43.93 million people | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 43.69 million people | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 43.45 million people | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 43.38 million people | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 43.76 million people | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 44.44 million people | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 45.32 million people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 46.15 million people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 46.80 million people | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 47.63 million people | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 48.34 million people | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 48.68 million people | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 48.74 million people | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 48.72 million people | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 48.53 million people | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 47.43 million people | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 45.51 million people | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 42.85 million people | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 39.19 million people | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 34.72 million people | -11.4% |
| 2023 | 30.65 million people | -11.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 30.65 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 229,432 people, 133.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 30.65 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 80,055 people, 382.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 50.26 million people | 40.53 million people | 56.13 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 57.43 million people | 44.73 million people | 68.84 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 64.46 million people | 52.59 million people | 70.99 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 56.48 million people | 51.39 million people | 64.32 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 56.70 million people | 46.59 million people | 66.89 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.31 million people | 43.38 million people | 45.70 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.65 million people | 45.51 million people | 48.74 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.85 million people | 30.65 million people | 42.85 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More gender data for China
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 169,741 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -5.36 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1.23 million (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1.23 million (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.4481 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 4.15 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 4.56 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 4.18 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 4.62 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 4.32 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is male population by age group in China?
- Male population by age group in China was 30.65 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest male population by age group recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 70.99 million people in 1972.
- What is the lowest male population by age group recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.65 million people in 2023.
- How does China rank for male population by age group?
- China ranks 2nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is male population by age group rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Male population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes men aged 0-4.