Total Fertility Rate in China
China: Total Fertility Rate was 1.18 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Total Fertility Rate in China, 1960–2022
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2022, total fertility rate in China stood at 1.18.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 34.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total fertility rate in China peaked at 7.51 in 1963 and was at its lowest, 1.16, in 2021.
China ranks 189th of 197 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total Fertility Rate in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.45 | — |
| 1961 | 3.86 | -13.2% |
| 1962 | 6.08 | +57.5% |
| 1963 | 7.51 | +23.5% |
| 1964 | 6.67 | -11.2% |
| 1965 | 6.61 | -1.0% |
| 1966 | 6.31 | -4.5% |
| 1967 | 5.81 | -7.9% |
| 1968 | 6.51 | +12.1% |
| 1969 | 6.17 | -5.1% |
| 1970 | 6.08 | -1.5% |
| 1971 | 5.52 | -9.2% |
| 1972 | 5.11 | -7.4% |
| 1973 | 4.73 | -7.6% |
| 1974 | 4.17 | -11.8% |
| 1975 | 3.57 | -14.4% |
| 1976 | 3.23 | -9.4% |
| 1977 | 2.84 | -12.1% |
| 1978 | 2.72 | -4.5% |
| 1979 | 2.75 | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 2.74 | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 2.79 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 2.97 | +6.4% |
| 1983 | 2.56 | -13.9% |
| 1984 | 2.61 | +1.9% |
| 1985 | 2.63 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 2.72 | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 2.76 | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 2.54 | -8.0% |
| 1989 | 2.52 | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 2.51 | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 1.93 | -23.1% |
| 1992 | 1.78 | -8.2% |
| 1993 | 1.69 | -4.8% |
| 1994 | 1.63 | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 1.59 | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 1.55 | -2.1% |
| 1997 | 1.53 | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.52 | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.53 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 1.63 | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 1.56 | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 1.57 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.57 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.6 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 1.62 | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 1.64 | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 1.67 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 1.7 | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.71 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 1.69 | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.67 | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 1.8 | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 1.71 | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 1.77 | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 1.67 | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 1.77 | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 1.81 | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 1.55 | -14.3% |
| 2019 | 1.5 | -3.7% |
| 2020 | 1.28 | -14.4% |
| 2021 | 1.16 | -9.1% |
| 2022 | 1.18 | +0.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.18 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.97, 60% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- China's 1.18 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.32, 51% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total Fertility Rate in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +57.5% | 3.86 | 6.08 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 | 3.86 | 7.51 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.07 | 2.72 | 6.08 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.68 | 2.52 | 2.97 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.73 | 1.52 | 2.51 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.63 | 1.56 | 1.71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.69 | 1.5 | 1.81 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.21 | 1.16 | 1.28 | 3 |
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 total fertility rate in China?
- Total fertility rate in China was 1.18 in 2022, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest total fertility rate recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 7.51 in 1963.
- What is the lowest total fertility rate recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.16 in 2021.
- How does China rank for total fertility rate?
- China ranks 189th out of 197 countries with data for 2022.
- Is total fertility rate rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Total Fertility Rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gender-disaggregated data on health outcomes.