Share of the population that is female in China
China: Share of the population that is female was 49.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
49.1%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
188th
of 215 countries
All-time high
49.1%
in 1984
All-time low
48.8%
in 2013
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Share of the population that is female in China, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population that is female in China is 49.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population that is female in China peaked at 49.1% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 48.8%, in 2013.
That places China 188th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of the population that is female in China, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 48.9% | — |
| 1961 | 48.9% | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 48.9% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 49.0% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 49.0% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 49.0% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 49.0% | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 1991 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 48.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 49.1% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 50.3%, 98% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 49.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 49.8%, 99% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.0% | 48.9% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 49.1% | 49.1% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.1% | 49.1% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.0% | 48.9% | 49.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 48.9% | 48.8% | 48.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.8% | 48.8% | 48.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.0% | 48.9% | 49.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 185 Cape Verde 49.1% compare
- 186 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 49.1% compare
- 187 Nauru 49.1% compare
- 189 Algeria 49.0% compare
- 190 Andorra 48.9% compare
- 191 Solomon Islands 48.9% compare
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 share of the population that is female in China?
- Share of the population that is female in China was 49.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population that is female recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 49.1% in 1984.
- What is the lowest share of the population that is female recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.8% in 2013.
- How does China rank for share of the population that is female?
- China ranks 188th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of the population that is female rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population that is female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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