Negative population growth accelerated by zero-corona policy
(Kaori Fukushima: Journalist)
The world’s most populous country has finally begun to decline.
According to the data released at the press conference of the National Bureau of Statistics of China on January 17, the total population of China at the end of 2022 will be 1,411.75 million, down 850,000 from the end of the previous year (Hong Kong, Macau). except for). The birth population was 9.56 million, falling below 10 million for the first time in 72 years. The fertility rate (birth rate per 1,000 population) is 6.8 per mille (‰). The dead population is 10.41 million and the mortality rate is 7.4 per mille. The natural population growth rate is minus 0.6 per mil.
Looking at the gender composition, there are 722.06 million males and 689.69 million females. Looking at the age composition, the working age of 16 to 59 years old is 875.56 million, accounting for 62.0% of the total population. The population over the age of 60 is 280.04 million, or 19.8%. The population aged 65 and over is 209.78 million, or 14.9%.
Looking at the composition of urban and rural populations, the permanent urban population was 920.71 million, an increase of 6.46 million from the end of the previous year. On the other hand, the rural permanent population was 491.04 million, a decrease of 7.31 million. The urban population accounted for 65.2% of the total population, up 0.5 points from the end of the previous year.
These data show that China is no longer the world’s most populous country. India’s population is estimated to be 1.412 billion by the end of 2022. It is certain that India will be the most populous country in the world by at least 2023.
Is China’s declining population temporary? Or will the population continue to decline irreversibly in the future? And if it continues, what impact will it have on the world?