In China, the crude birth rate in 1930 was just under 39 live births per thousand people, meaning that 3.9 percent of the population had been born in that year. The crude birth rate dropped gradually over the next fifteen years, however it then rose to it's highest recorded figure by 1955. Between 1945 and 1950, the Second World War ended and the Chinese Civil War was finally coming to an end, and during this time the crude birth rate rose to almost 47 births per thousand in individual years. The crude birth rate dropped again in the late 1950s, as Chairman Mao's 'Great Leap Forward' failed to industrialize the nation, and resulted in a famine which killed an estimated 45 million people. The 1960s saw some recovery, where the figures rose from 36.4 to 39.5 births per thousand in this decade, however two-child and one-child policies were introduced in the 1970s and 80s, in an attempt to slow China's rapidly growing population. These measures led to the decline of the birth rate, dropping below fifteen births per thousand at the turn of the millennium. From 2000 until now the decline of China's crude birth rate has slowed, falling by just 2.8 births per thousand over the past twenty years, and it is expected to be just below twelve in 2020.
Crude birth rate in China from 1930 to 2020*
Characteristic
Crude birth rate
2020
11.9
2015
12.7
2010
12.8
2005
13.1
2000
14.6
1995
17.4
1990
24.8
1985
21.2
1980
22.5
1975
31.9
1970
39.5
1965
39.4
1960
36.4
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Crude birth rate1930193519401945195019551960196519701975198019851990199520002005201020152020
1015202530354045
Add this content to your personal favorites. These can be accessed from the favorites menu in the main navigation.
You have no right to use this feature.
Make sure to contact us if you are interested in scientific citation.
You can upgrade your account to enable this functionality for all statistics.
This feature is not available with your current account.Request access
Statista has been my savior on several occasions.
The site is easy to maneuver and the data is in a format that can
go right into a report or presentation.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
UN DESA, & Gapminder. (June 17, 2019). Crude birth rate in China from 1930 to 2020* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037919/crude-birth-rate-china-1930-2020/
UN DESA, und Gapminder. "Crude birth rate in China from 1930 to 2020*." Chart. June 17, 2019. Statista. Accessed February 23, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037919/crude-birth-rate-china-1930-2020/
UN DESA, Gapminder. (2019). Crude birth rate in China from 1930 to 2020*. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 23, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037919/crude-birth-rate-china-1930-2020/
UN DESA, and Gapminder. "Crude Birth Rate in China from 1930 to 2020*." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 Jun 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037919/crude-birth-rate-china-1930-2020/
UN DESA & Gapminder, Crude birth rate in China from 1930 to 2020* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037919/crude-birth-rate-china-1930-2020/ (last visited February 23, 2025)
Crude birth rate in China from 1930 to 2020* [Graph], UN DESA, & Gapminder, June 17, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1037919/crude-birth-rate-china-1930-2020/
Profit from additional features with an Employee Account
Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites.
Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.