Demographics of the People's Republic of China

Population of China, 1961–2008
Population	1,382,710,000 (2016 data) (1st)
Growth rate	0.47% (2009 est.) (159th)
Birth rate	12.37 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Death rate	7.16 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)
Life expectancy	75.35 years (2013)
• male	74.09 years (2013)
• female	76.68 years (2013)
Fertility rate	1.55 children born/woman (2014 est.) (183st)
Infant mortality rate	9.5 deaths/1000 live births (2013)
0–14 years	17.2% (2012 est.)
15–64 years	73.4% (2012 est.)
65 and over	9.4% (2012 est.)
At birth	1.18 male(s)/female (2010 census)
Under 15	1.13 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
15–64 years	1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
65 and over	0.91 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Nationality	noun: Chinese adjective: Chinese
Major ethnic	Han Chinese
Minor ethnic	Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uyghurs, Yi, Tujia, Inner Mongols, Tibetan, Buyei, Dong, Yao, Korean, Bai, Hani, Li, Kazak, Dai, She, Lisu, Gelao, Lahu, Dongxiang, Va, Sui, Nakhi, Qiang, Tu, Xibe, Mulao, Kyrgyz, Daur, Jingpo, Salar, Blang, Maonan, Tajik, Pumi, Achang, Nu, Ewenki, Gin, Jino, De'ang, Uzbeks, Russian, Yugur, Bonan, Monba, Oroqen, Derung, Tatars, Hezhen, Lhoba
Official	Mandarin
Spoken	Wu (Shanghainese), Yue (Cantonese), Min (Minnan, Mindong, others), Xiang, Gan, Hakka, various Mandarin dialects and Patuá

1,382,710,000

The demographics of the People's Republic of China are identified by a large population with a relatively small youth division, which was partially a result of China's one-child policy. China's population reached the billion mark in 1982.

China's population is over 1.381 billion, the largest of any country in the world. According to the 2010 census, 91.51% of the population was Han Chinese, and 8.49% were minorities. China's population growth rate is only 0.47%, ranking 159th in the world. China conducted its sixth national population census on 1 November 2010. Unless otherwise indicated, the statistics on this page pertain to mainland China only; see also Demographics of Hong Kong and Demographics of Macau.

The population of China fluctuated between 37 and 60 million for a thousand years. In the period between 1749 and 1851, the population doubled in a century. After 1950, the population doubled from 600 to 1300 million in a half century.

The People's Republic of China conducted censuses in 1953, 1964, 1982, 2000, and 2010. In 1987, the government announced that the fourth national census would take place in 1990 and that there would be one every ten years thereafter. The 1982 census (which reported a total population of 1,008,180,738) is generally accepted as significantly more reliable, accurate, and thorough than the previous two. Various international organizations eagerly assisted the Chinese in conducting the 1982 census, including the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, which donated US$15.6 million for the preparation and execution of the census.