Demographics of China - wikipedia Demographics of China Demographics of China Population of China since 1960 Population 1,403,500,365 ( 2016 data ) ( 1st ) Growth rate 0.59 % ( 2016 est. ) ( 159th ) Birth rate 12.95 births per 1,000 ( 2016 est. ) Death rate 7.06 deaths per 1,000 ( 2016 est. ) Life expectancy 76.34 years ( 2015 ) male 73.64 years ( 2015 ) female 79.43 years ( 2015 ) Fertility rate 1.60 children per woman ( 2017 est. ) Infant mortality rate 12.2 deaths per 1000 live births ( 2015 ) Age structure 0 -- 14 years 16.5 % ( 2015 est. ) 15 -- 64 years 73.0 % ( 2015 est. ) 65 and over 10.5 % ( 2015 est. ) Sex ratio At birth 1.14 male to female ( 2016 est. ) Under 15 1.14 male to female ( 2015 est. ) 15 -- 64 years 1.05 male to female ( 2015 est. ) 65 and over 0.90 male to female ( 2015 est. ) Nationality 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 Language Official Mandarin Spoken Wu ( Shanghainese ), Yue ( Cantonese ), Min ( Minnan, Mindong, others ), Xiang, Gan, Hakka, various Mandarin dialects and Patuá 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, which is now modified to a two - child policy in 2015. China 's population reached the billion mark in 1982. China 's population is 1.411 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 0.59 %, 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. Contents 1 Population 1.1 Historical population 1.2 Censuses in China 1.2. 1 Population of China by age and sex ( demographic pyramid ) 1.3 Population control 1.4 Population density and distribution 1.5 Population projection 2 Vital statistics 2.1 Table of births and deaths 1950 -- 2017 2.2 Fertility and mortality 2.3 Total fertility rate 2.4 Labor force 2.5 Height and weight 3 Ethnic groups 3.1 People from other immigration jurisdictions 4 Languages 5 Religions 6 Migration 7 Urbanization 8 CIA World Factbook 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Sources 13 External links Population Historical population Historical Population in China from AD 2 The population of China fluctuated between 30 million and 86 million during the Han dynasty. After the collapse of the Han Dynasty, the population stayed around 50 million until the advent of the Tang Dynasty. Under the Tang Dynasty, the population increased from 45 million to 80 million over the course of 200 years. At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, the population stood at over 100 million. After Ming and earlier period of Qing dynasty founded population moved around 100 million to 150 million for until 1700s. In the period between 1749 and 1851, the population doubled in a century. During 1960 - 2015, the population doubled to nearly 1.4 billion. Censuses in China 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. China has been the world 's most populous nation for many centuries. When China took its first post-1949 census in 1953, the population stood at 583 million ; by the fifth census in 2000, the population had more than doubled, reaching 1.2 billion. By the sixth census in 2010, the total population had reached to 1,370,536,875, with the mainland having 1,339,724,852, Hong Kong having 7,097,600, and Macau having 552,300. Population of China by age and sex ( demographic pyramid ) China population pyramid as of 1st National Census day on June 30, 1953 China population pyramid as of 2nd National Census day on July 1, 1964 China population pyramid as of 3rd National Census day on July 1, 1982 China population pyramid as of 4th National Census day on July 1, 1990 China population pyramid as of 5th National Census day on November 1, 2000 China population pyramid as of 6th National Census day on November 1, 2010 China population pyramid as of 2015 Population of China according to province 1953 -- 2010 Province or autonomous region census 1953 census 1964 census 1982 census 1990 census 2000 census 2010 Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Beijing Municipality 3,768,149 1.48 8,568,495 9.09 9,230,687 3.92 11,819,407 0.95 13,820,000 1.09 19,612,368 1.46 Hebei 35,984,644 6.18 49,687,781 6.58 53,005,876 5.26 61,082,439 5.39 67,440,000 5.33 79,854,202 5.36 Tianjin Municipality 2,693,831 0.46 7,764,141 0.77 8,785,402 0.77 10,010,000 0.79 12,938,224 0.97 Shanxi 14,314,485 2.46 18,015,067 2.59 25,291,389 2.51 28,759,014 2.54 32,970,000 2.60 35,712,111 2.67 Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region 6,100,104 1.05 12,348,638 1.78 19,274,279 1.91 21,456,798 1.89 23,760,000 1.88 24,706,321 1.84 Rehe ( now defunct ) 5,160,822 0.89 Liaoning 18,545,147 3.18 26,946,200 3.88 35,721,693 3.54 39,459,697 3.48 42,380,000 3.35 43,746,323 3.27 Jilin 11,290,073 1.94 15,668,663 2.26 22,560,053 2.24 24,658,721 2.18 27,280,000 2.16 27,462,297 2.05 Heilongjiang 11,897,309 2.04 20,118,271 2.90 32,665,546 3.24 35,214,873 3.11 39,890,000 2.91 38,312,224 2.86 Shanghai Municipality 6,204,417 1.06 10,816,458 1.56 11,859,748 1.18 13,341,896 1.18 16,740,000 1.32 23,019,148 1.72 Jiangsu 41,252,192 7.08 44,504,608 6.41 60,521,114 6.00 67,056,519 5.91 74,380,000 5.88 77,659,903 5.87 Zhejiang 22,865,747 3.92 28,318,573 4.08 38,884,603 3.86 41,445,930 3.66 46,770,000 3.69 54,426,891 4.06 Anhui 30,343,637 5.21 31,241,657 4.50 49,665,724 4.93 56,180,813 4.96 59,860,000 4.73 59,500,510 4.44 Fujian 13,142,721 2.26 16,757,223 2.41 25,931,106 2.57 30,097,274 2.65 34,710,000 2.74 36,894,216 2.75 Jiangxi 16,772,865 2.88 21,068,019 3.03 33,184,827 3.29 37,710,281 3.33 41,400,000 3.27 44,567,475 3.33 Shandong 48,876,548 8.39 55,519,038 7.99 74,419,054 7.38 84,392,827 7.44 90,790,000 7.17 95,793,065 7.15 Henan 44,214,594 7.59 50,325,511 7.25 74,422,739 7.38 85,509,535 7.54 92,560,000 7.31 94,023,567 7.02 Hubei 27,789,693 4.77 33,709,344 4.85 47,804,150 4.74 53,969,210 4.76 60,280,000 4.76 57,237,740 4.27 Hunan 33,226,954 5.70 37,182,286 5.35 54,008,851 5.36 60,659,754 5.35 64,440,000 5.09 65,683,722 4.90 Guangdong 34,770,059 5.97 42,800,849 6.16 59,299,220 5.88 62,829,236 5.54 86,420,000 6.83 104,303,132 7.79 Hainan 7,870,000 0.62 8,671,518 0.65 Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 19,560,822 3.36 20,845,017 3.00 36,420,960 3.61 42,245,765 3.73 44,890,000 3.55 46,026,629 3.55 Sichuan 62,303,999 10.69 67,956,490 9.78 99,713,310 9.89 107,218,173 9.46 83,290,000 6.58 80,418,200 6.00 Chongqing Municipality 30,900,000 2.44 28,846,170 2.15 Guizhou 15,037,310 2.58 17,140,521 2.47 28,552,997 2.83 32,391,066 2.86 35,250,000 2.78 34,746,468 2.59 Yunnan 17,472,737 3.00 20,509,525 2.95 32,553,817 3.23 36,972,610 3.26 42,880,000 3.39 45,966,239 3.43 Tibet Autonomous Region 1,273,969 0.22 1,251,225 0.18 1,892,393 0.19 2,196,010 0.19 2,620,000 0.21 3,002,166 0.22 Xikang ( now defunct ) 3,381,064 0.58 Shaanxi 15,881,281 2.73 20,766,915 2.99 28,904,423 2.87 32,882,403 2.90 36,050,000 2.85 37,327,378 2.79 Gansu 12,093,600 2.06 12,630,569 1.82 19,569,261 1.94 22,371,141 1.97 25,620,000 2.02 25,575,254 1.91 Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 1,506,200 0.26 2,107,500 0.30 3,895,578 0.39 4,655,451 0.41 5,620,000 0.44 6,301,350 0.47 Qinghai 1,676,534 0.29 2,145,604 0.31 3,895,706 0.39 4,456,946 0.39 5,180,000 0.41 5,626,722 0.42 Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 4,873,608 0.84 7,270,067 1.05 13,081,681 1.30 15,155,778 1.34 19,250,000 1.52 21,813,334 1.63 Military personnel 4,238,210 3,199,100 2,500,000 2,300,000 Population with permanent residence difficult to define 4,649,985 Total mainland China 582,603,417 694,581,759 1,008,175,288 1,133,682,501 1,265,830,000 1,339,724,852 In 1982 China conducted its first population census since 1964. It was by far the most thorough and accurate census taken since 1949 and confirmed that China was a nation of more than 1 billion people, or about one - fifth of the world 's population. The census provided demographers with a set of data on China 's age - sex structure, fertility and mortality rates, and population density and distribution. Information was also gathered on minority ethnic groups, urban population, and marital status. For the first time since the People 's Republic of China was founded, demographers had reliable information on the size and composition of the Chinese work force. The nation began preparing for the 1982 census in late 1976. Chinese census workers were sent to the United States and Japan to study modern census - taking techniques and automation. Computers were installed in every provincial - level unit except Tibet and were connected to a central processing system in the Beijing headquarters of the State Statistical Bureau. Pretests and small scale trial runs were conducted and checked for accuracy between 1980 and 1981 in twenty - four provincial - level units. Census stations were opened in rural production brigades and urban neighborhoods. Beginning on 1 July 1982, each household sent a representative to a census station to be enumerated. The census required about a month to complete and employed approximately 5 million census takers. The 1982 census collected data in nineteen demographic categories relating to individuals and households. The thirteen areas concerning individuals were name, relationship to head of household, sex, age, nationality, registration status, educational level, profession, occupation, status of nonworking persons, marital status, number of children born and still living, and number of births in 1981. The six items pertaining to households were type ( domestic or collective ), serial number, number of persons, number of births in 1981, number of deaths in 1981, and number of registered persons absent for more than one year. Information was gathered in a number of important areas for which previous data were either extremely inaccurate or simply nonexistent, including fertility, marital status, urban population, minority ethnic groups, sex composition, age distribution, and employment and unemployment. A fundamental anomaly in the 1982 statistics was noted by some Western analysts. They pointed out that although the birth and death rates recorded by the census and those recorded through the household registration system were different, the two systems arrived at similar population totals. The discrepancies in the vital rates were the result of the underreporting of both births and deaths to the authorities under the registration system ; families would not report some births because of the one - child policy and would not report some deaths so as to hold on to the rations of the deceased. Nevertheless, the 1982 census was a watershed for both Chinese and world demographics. After an eighteen - year gap, population specialists were given a wealth of reliable, up - to - date figures on which to reconstruct past demographic patterns, measure current population conditions, and predict future population trends. For example, Chinese and foreign demographers used the 1982 census age - sex structure as the base population for forecasting and making assumptions about future fertility trends. The data on age - specific fertility and mortality rates provided the necessary base - line information for making population projections. The census data also were useful for estimating future manpower potential, consumer needs, and utility, energy, and health - service requirements. The sudden abundance of demographic data helped population specialists immeasurably in their efforts to estimate world population. Previously, there had been no accurate information on these 21 % of the Earth 's inhabitants. Demographers who had been conducting research on global population without accurate data on the Chinese fifth of the world 's population were particularly thankful for the 1982 breakthrough census. Population control See also : One - child policy Birth rate in China Initially, China 's post-1949 leaders were ideologically disposed to view a large population as an asset. But the liabilities of a large, rapidly growing population soon became apparent. For one year, starting in August 1956, vigorous support was given to the Ministry of Public Health 's mass birth control efforts. These efforts, however, had little impact on fertility. After the interval of the Great Leap Forward, Chinese leaders again saw rapid population growth as an obstacle to development, and their interest in birth control revived. In the early 1960s, schemes somewhat more muted than during the first campaign, emphasized the virtues of late marriage. Birth control offices were set up in the central government and some provincial - level governments in 1964. The second campaign was particularly successful in the cities, where the birth rate was cut in half during the 1963 -- 66 period. The upheaval of the Cultural Revolution brought the program to a halt, however. In 1972 and 1973 the party mobilized its resources for a nationwide birth control campaign administered by a group in the State Council. Committees to oversee birth control activities were established at all administrative levels and in various collective enterprises. This extensive and seemingly effective network covered both the rural and the urban population. In urban areas public security headquarters included population control sections. In rural areas the country 's `` barefoot doctors '' distributed information and contraceptives to people 's commune members. By 1973 Mao Zedong was personally identified with the family planning movement, signifying a greater leadership commitment to controlled population growth than ever before. Yet until several years after Mao 's death in 1976, the leadership was reluctant to put forth directly the rationale that population control was necessary for economic growth and improved living standards. Population growth targets were set for both administrative units and individual families. In the mid-1970s the maximum recommended family size was two children in cities and three or four in the country. Since 1979 the government has advocated a one - child limit for both rural and urban areas and has generally set a maximum of two children in special circumstances. As of 1986 the policy for minority nationalities was two children per couple, three in special circumstances, and no limit for ethnic groups with very small populations. The overall goal of the one - child policy was to keep the total population within 1.2 billion through the year 2000, on the premise that the Four Modernizations program would be of little value if population growth was not brought under control. The one - child policy was a highly ambitious population control program. Like previous programs of the 1960s and 1970s, the one - child policy employed a combination of public education, social pressure, and in some cases coercion. The one - child policy was unique, however, in that it linked reproduction with economic cost or benefit. Under the one - child program, a sophisticated system rewarded those who observed the policy and penalized those who did not. Through this policy, the increasing population got temperate after the penalties were made. Couples with only one child were given a `` one - child certificate '' entitling them to such benefits as cash bonuses, longer maternity leave, better child care, and preferential housing assignments. In return, they were required to pledge that they would not have more children. In the countryside, there was great pressure to adhere to the one - child limit. Because the rural population accounted for approximately 60 % of the total, the effectiveness of the one - child policy in rural areas was considered the key to the success or failure of the program as a whole. In rural areas the day - to - day work of family planning was done by cadres at the team and brigade levels who were responsible for women 's affairs and by health workers. The women 's team leader made regular household visits to keep track of the status of each family under her jurisdiction and collected information on which women were using contraceptives, the methods used, and which had become pregnant. She then reported to the brigade women 's leader, who documented the information and took it to a monthly meeting of the commune birth - planning committee. According to reports, ceilings or quotas had to be adhered to ; to satisfy these cutoffs, unmarried young people were persuaded to postpone marriage, couples without children were advised to `` wait their turn, '' women with unauthorized pregnancies were pressured to have abortions, and those who already had children were urged to use contraception or undergo sterilization. Couples with more than one child were exhorted to be sterilized. The one - child policy enjoyed much greater success in urban than in rural areas. Even without state intervention, there were compelling reasons for urban couples to limit the family to a single child. Raising a child required a significant portion of family income, and in the cities a child did not become an economic asset until he or she entered the work force at age sixteen. Couples with only one child were given preferential treatment in housing allocation. In addition, because city dwellers who were employed in state enterprises received pensions after retirement, the sex of their first child was less important to them than it was to those in rural areas. Numerous reports surfaced of coercive measures used to achieve the desired results of the one - child policy. The alleged methods ranged from intense psychological pressure to the use of physical force, including some grisly accounts of forced abortions and infanticide. Chinese officials admitted that isolated, uncondoned abuses of the program occurred and that they condemned such acts, but they insisted that the family planning program was administered on a voluntary basis using persuasion and economic measures only. International reaction to the allegations were mixed. The UN Fund for Population Activities and the International Planned Parenthood Federation were generally supportive of China 's family planning program. The United States Agency for International Development, however, withdrew US $10 million from the Fund in March 1985 based on allegations that coercion had been used. Observers suggested that an accurate assessment of the one - child program would not be possible until all women who came of childbearing age in the early 1980s passed their fertile years. As of 1987 the one - child program had achieved mixed results. In general, it was very successful in almost all urban areas but less successful in rural areas. Rapid fertility reduction associated with the one - child policy has potentially negative results. For instance, in the future the elderly might not be able to rely on their children to care for them as they have in the past, leaving the state to assume the expense, which could be considerable. Based on United Nations and Chinese government statistics, it was estimated in 1987 that by the year 2000 the population 60 years and older ( the retirement age is 60 in urban areas ) would number 127 million, or 10.1 % of the total population ; the projection for 2025 was 234 million elderly, or 16.4 %. According to projections based on the 1982 census, if the one - child policy were maintained to the year 2000, 25 % of China 's population would be age 65 or older by the year 2040. In 2050, the number of people over 60 is expected to increase to 430 million. Population density and distribution See also : Heihe -- Tengchong Line Overall China is the most populated country in the world and its national population density ( 137 / km ) is similar to those of Switzerland and the Czech Republic. The overall population density of China conceals major regional variations, the western and northern part have a few million people, while eastern half has about 1.3 billion. The vast majority of China 's population lives near the east in major cities. Coast and eastern China In the 11 provinces, special municipalities, and autonomous regions along the southeast coast, population density was 320.6 people per km. Broadly speaking, the population was concentrated east of the mountains and south of the northern steppe. The most densely populated areas included the Yangtze River Valley ( of which the delta region was the most populous ), Sichuan Basin, North China Plain, Pearl River Delta, and the industrial area around the city of Shenyang in the northeast. Western areas Population is most sparse in the mountainous, desert, and grassland regions of the northwest and southwest. In Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, portions are completely uninhabited, and only a few sections have populations denser than ten people per km. The Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet autonomous regions and Qinghai and Gansu comprise 55 % of the country 's land area but in 1985 contained only 5.7 % of its population. A 2010 population density map of the territories governed by the PRC and the ROC. The eastern, coastal provinces are much more densely populated than the western interior because of the historical access to water. Area ( km ) Population Density China 9,650,000 ( 100 % ) 1,300,000,000 ( 100 % ) 134.7 / km 5 provinces 5,246,400 ( 54.45 % ) 79,533,000 ( 6.12 % ) 15.16 / km Inner Mongolia 1,183,000 ( 12.28 % ) 24,051,000 Xinjiang 1,660,000 ( 17.23 % ) 20,952,000 Tibet 1,228,400 ( 12.75 % ) 2,842,000 Qinghai 721,000 ( 7.48 % ) 5,516,000 Gansu 454,000 ( 4.71 % ) 26,172,000 China proper 4,403,605 ( 45.55 % ) 1,221,000,000 ( 93.89 % ) 277.27 / km Source : National Bureau of Statistics Gender disparity concern Future challenges for China will be the gender disparity. According to the 2010 census, males account for 51.27 % of China 's 1.34 billion people, while females made up 48.73 % of the total. The sex ratio ( the number of males for each female in a population ) at birth was 118.06 boys to every 100 girls ( 54.14 % ) in 2010, higher than the 116.86 ( 53.89 % ) of 2000, but 0.53 points lower than the ratio of 118.59 ( 54.25 % ) in 2005. In most western countries the sex ratio at birth is around 105 boys to 100 girls ( 51.22 % ). At the moment there are about 9 million more boys than girls in China. Population projection 2020 : 1.42 billion 2030 : 1.44 billion 2040 : 1.42 billion 2050 : 1.36 billion 2075 : 1.17 billion 2100 : 1.02 billion Vital statistics Table of births and deaths 1950 -- 2017 China 's fertility statistics differ depending on the source. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Planning November 2015 announcement, China 's 2015 TFR was somewhere between 1.5 and 1.6. The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics ( NBS ) seems to contradict this, stating China 's TFR for 2015 was 1, 05. Although there is a natural margin of error since the NBS surveys only a thin cross-section of Chinese society, approximately 1 % of the total population. Source : Average population ( x 1000 ) Live births Deaths Natural change Crude birth rate ( per 1000 ) Crude death rate ( per 1000 ) Natural change ( per 1000 ) Total Fertility Rate 1950 546,815 20,232,000 9,843,000 10,389,000 37.0 18.0 19.0 1951 557,480 21,073,000 9,923,000 11,150,000 37.8 17.8 20.0 1952 568,910 21,050,000 9,671,000 11,379,000 37.0 17.0 20.0 1953 581,390 21,511,000 8,139,000 13,372,000 37.0 14.0 23.0 1954 595,310 22,604,000 7,846,000 14,758,000 37.97 13.18 24.79 1955 608,655 19,842,000 7,474,000 12,368,000 32.60 12.28 20.32 1956 621,465 19,825,000 7,085,000 12,740,000 31.90 11.40 20.50 1957 637,405 21,691,000 6,884,000 14,807,000 34.03 10.80 23.23 1958 653,235 19,088,000 7,826,000 11,262,000 29.22 11.98 17.24 1959 666,005 16,504,000 9,717,000 6,787,000 24.78 14.59 10.19 1960 667,070 13,915,000 16,964,000 − 3 049 000 20.86 25.43 − 4.57 1961 660,330 11,899,000 9,403,000 2,496,000 18.02 14.24 3.78 1962 665,770 24,640,000 6,671,000 17,969,000 37.01 10.02 26.99 1963 682,335 29,593,000 6,851,000 22,742,000 43.37 10.04 33.33 1964 698,355 27,334,000 8,031,000 19,303,000 39.14 11.50 27.64 1965 715,185 27,091,000 6,794,000 20,297,000 37.88 9.50 28.38 1966 735,400 25,776,000 6,494,000 19,282,000 35.05 8.83 26.22 1967 754,550 25,625,000 6,361,000 19,264,000 33.96 8.43 25.53 1968 774,510 27,565,000 6,359,000 21,206,000 35.59 8.21 27.38 1969 796,025 27,152,000 6,392,000 20,760,000 34.11 8.03 26.08 1970 818,315 27,356,000 6,219,000 21,137,000 33.43 7.60 25.83 1971 841,105 25,780,000 6,157,000 19,623,000 30.65 7.32 23.33 1972 862,030 25,663,000 6,560,000 19,103,000 29.77 7.61 22.16 1973 881,940 24,633,000 6,209,000 18,424,000 27.93 7.04 20.89 900,350 22,347,000 6,609,000 15,738,000 24.82 7.34 17.48 916,395 21,086,000 6,708,000 14,378,000 23.01 7.32 15.69 1976 930,685 18,530,000 6,747,000 11,783,000 19.91 7.25 12.66 1977 943,455 17,860,000 6,482,000 11,378,000 18.93 6.87 12.06 1978 956,165 17,450,000 5,976,000 11,474,000 18.25 6.25 12.00 1979 969,005 17,268,000 6,018,000 11,250,000 17.82 6.21 11.61 1980 981,235 17,868,000 6,221,000 11,647,000 18.21 6.34 11.87 1981 993,885 20,782,000 6,321,000 14,461,000 20.91 6.36 14.55 1982 1,008,065 21,260,000 6,653,000 14,607,000 22.28 6.60 15.68 1,020,180 18,996,000 7,223,000 11,773,000 20.19 6.90 13.29 1984 1,034,750 18,022,000 6,890,000 11,132,000 19.90 6.82 13.08 1985 1,045,320 21,994,000 7,087,000 14,907,000 21.04 6.78 14.26 1986 1,066,790 23,928,000 7,318,000 16,610,000 22.43 6.86 15.57 1,084,035 25,291,000 7,285,000 18,006,000 23.33 6.72 16.61 1,101,630 24,643,000 7,315,000 17,328,000 22.37 6.64 15.73 1,118,650 24,140,000 7,316,000 16,824,000 21.58 6.54 15.04 1990 1,135,185 23,910,000 7,570,000 16,340,000 21.06 6.67 14.39 1991 1,150,780 22,650,000 7,710,000 14,940,000 19.68 6.70 12.98 1,164,970 21,250,000 7,740,000 13,510,000 18.24 6.64 11.60 1,178,440 21,320,000 7,820,000 13,500,000 18.09 6.64 11.46 1,191,835 21,100,000 7,740,000 13,360,000 17.70 6.49 11.21 1995 1,204,855 20,630,000 7,920,000 12,710,000 17.12 6.57 10.55 1,217,550 20,670,000 7,990,000 12,680,000 16.98 6.56 10.41 1,230,075 20,380,000 8,010,000 12,370,000 16.57 6.51 10.06 1998 1,241,935 19,420,000 8,070,000 11,350,000 15.64 6.50 9.14 1999 1,252,735 18,340,000 8,090,000 10,250,000 14.64 6.46 8.18 2000 1,262,645 17,710,000 8,140,000 9,570,000 14.03 6.45 7.58 1.22 1,271,850 17,020,000 8,180,000 8,840,000 13.38 6.43 6.95 2002 1,280,400 16,470,000 8,210,000 8,260,000 12.86 6.41 6.45 2003 1,288,400 15,990,000 8,250,000 7,740,000 12.41 6.40 6.01 1,296,075 15,930,000 8,320,000 7,610,000 12.29 6.42 5.87 2005 1,303,720 16,170,000 8,490,000 7,680,000 12.40 6.51 5.89 1.33 2006 1,311,020 15,840,000 8,920,000 6,920,000 12.09 6.81 5.28 2007 1,317,885 15,940,000 9,130,000 6,810,000 12.10 6.93 5.17 2008 1,324,655 16,080,000 9,350,000 6,730,000 12.14 7.06 5.08 2009 1,331,380 16,150,000 9,430,000 6,720,000 11.95 7.08 4.87 1,337,825 15,920,000 9,510,000 6,410,000 11.90 7.11 4.79 1.18 2011 1,344,130 16,040,000 9,600,000 6,440,000 11.93 7.14 4.79 2012 1,353,821 16,350,000 9,660,000 6,690,000 12.07 7.14 4.93 2013 1,360,720 16,400,000 9,720,000 6,680,000 12.08 7.16 4.92 2014 1,367,820 16,870,000 9,770,000 7,100,000 12.37 7.16 5.21 2015 1,374,620 16,550,000 9,750,000 6,800,000 12.07 7.11 4.96 1.54 2016 1,382,710 17,860,000 9,770,000 8,090,000 12.95 7.09 5.86 1.60 2017 1,390,080 17,230,000 9,860,000 7,370,000 12.43 7.11 5.32 Fertility and mortality The traffic in Beijing In 1949 crude death rates were probably higher than 30 per 1,000, and the average life expectancy was only 35 years. Beginning in the early 1950s, mortality steadily declined ; it continued to decline through 1978 and remained relatively constant through 1987. One major fluctuation was reported in a computer reconstruction of China 's population trends from 1953 to 1987 produced by the United States Bureau of the Census. The computer model showed that the crude death rate increased dramatically during the famine years associated with the Great Leap Forward ( 1958 -- 60 ). According to Chinese government statistics, the crude birth rate followed five distinct patterns from 1949 to 1982. It remained stable from 1949 to 1954, varied widely from 1955 to 1965, experienced fluctuations between 1966 and 1969, dropped sharply in the late 1970s, and increased from 1980 to 1981. Between 1970 and 1980, the crude birth rate dropped from 33.4 per 1,000 to 18.2 per 1,000. The government attributed this dramatic decline in fertility to the wǎn xī shǎo ( `` 晚 、 稀 、 少 '', or `` late, long, few '' : later marriages, longer intervals between births, and fewer children ) birth control campaign. However, elements of socioeconomic change, such as increased employment of women in both urban and rural areas and reduced infant mortality ( a greater percentage of surviving children would tend to reduce demand for additional children ), may have played some role. The birth rate increased in the 1980s to a level over 20 per 1,000, primarily as a result of a marked rise in marriages and first births. The rise was an indication of problems with the one - child policy of 1979. Chinese sources, however, indicate that the birth rate started to decrease again in the 1990s and reached a level of around 12 per 1,000 in recent years. In urban areas, the housing shortage may have been at least partly responsible for the decreased birth rate. Also, the policy in force during most of the 1960s and the early 1970s of sending large numbers of high school graduates to the countryside deprived cities of a significant proportion of persons of childbearing age and undoubtedly had some effect on birth rates ( see Cultural Revolution ( 1966 -- 76 ) ). Primarily for economic reasons, rural birth rates tended to decline less than urban rates. The right to grow and sell agricultural products for personal profit and the lack of an old - age Welfare system were incentives for rural people to produce many children, especially sons, for help in the fields and for support in old age. Because of these conditions, it is unclear to what degree education had been able to erode traditional values favoring large families. Today, the population continues to grow. There is also a serious gender imbalance. Census data obtained in 2000 revealed that 119 boys were born for every 100 girls, and among China 's `` floating population '' the ratio was as high as 128 : 100. These situations led the government in July 2004 to ban selective abortions of female fetuses. It is estimated that this imbalance will rise until 2025 -- 2030 to reach 20 % then slowly decrease. China now has an increasingly aging population ; it is projected that 11.8 % of the population in 2020 will be 65 years of age and older. Health care has improved dramatically in China since 1949. Major diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and scarlet fever have been brought under control. Life expectancy has more than doubled, and infant mortality has dropped significantly. On the negative side, the incidence of cancer, cerebrovascular disease, and heart disease has increased to the extent that these have become the leading causes of death. Economic reforms initiated in the late 1970s fundamentally altered methods of providing health care ; the collective medical care system has been gradually replaced by a more individual - oriented approach. In Hong Kong, the birth rate of 0.9 % is lower than its death rate. Hong Kong 's population increases because of immigration from the mainland and a large expatriate population comprising about 4 %. Like Hong Kong, Macau also has a low birth rate relying on immigration to maintain its population. Total fertility rate According to the 2000 census, the TFR was 1.22 ( 0.86 for cities, 1.08 for towns and 1.43 for villages / outposts ). Beijing had the lowest TFR at 0.67, while Guizhou had the highest at 2.19. The Xiangyang district of Jiamusi city ( Heilongjiang ) has a TFR of 0.41, which is the lowest TFR recorded anywhere in the world in recorded history. Other extremely low TFR counties are : 0.43 in the Heping district of Tianjin city ( Tianjin ), and 0.46 in the Mawei district of Fuzhou city ( Fujian ). At the other end TFR was 3.96 in Geji County ( Tibet ), 4.07 in Jiali County ( Tibet ), and 5.47 in Baqing County ( Tibet ). The 2010 census reported a TFR of 1.18 ( 0.88 in cities, 1.15 in townships, and 1.44 in rural areas ). The five regions with the lowest fertility rates were Beijing ( 0.71 ), Shanghai ( 0.74 ), Liaoning ( 0.74 ), Heilongjiang ( 0.75 ), and Jilin ( 0.76 ). The five regions with the highest fertility rates were Guangxi ( 1.79 ), Guizhou ( 1.75 ), Xinjiang ( 1.53 ), Hainan ( 1.51 ), and Anhui ( 1.48 ). Total fertility rate by ethnic group ( 2010 census ) : Han ( 1.14 ), Zhuang ( 1.59 ), Hui ( 1.48 ), Manchu ( 1.18 ), Uyghur ( 2.04 ), Miao ( 1.82 ), Yi ( 1.82 ), Tujia ( 1.74 ), Tibetan ( 1.60 ), Mongols ( 1.26 ). Labor force In 2012, for the first time, according to statistics released by China 's National Bureau of Statistics in January 2013, the number of people theoretically able to enter the Chinese labor force ( individuals aged 15 to 59 ), shrank slightly to 937.27 million people, a decrease of 3.45 million from 2011. This trend, resulting from China 's demographic transition, is anticipated to continue for at least the next 20 years, to 2030. The CIA World Fact Book estimates the 2012 actual active labor force to amount to 798.5 million. Height and weight As of 2012, the average Chinese man was 167.1 centimeters tall ( 5 ft 5.8 in ) in 2012, the figures showed, and women 's average height was 155.8 centimeters ( 5 ft 1.3 in ). The same study showed an average Chinese man weighed 66.2 kilograms ( 145.9 lbs, or 10 stone 5.9 lbs ), up 3.5 kilograms ( 7.7 lbs ) over 10 years, while women were 2.9 kilograms ( 6.4 pounds ) heavier on average at 57.3 kilograms ( 126.3 pounds, or 9 stone 0.3 lbs ). They were up just 0.4 centimeters ( 0.16 in ) and 0.7 centimeters ( 0.28 in ) respectively from 10 years earlier. Ethnic groups Main article : List of ethnic groups in China Ethnolinguistic map of the People 's Republic of China and the Republic of China The People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) officially recognizes 56 distinct ethnic groups, the largest of which are Han, who constitute 91.51 % of the total population in 2010. Ethnic minorities constitute 8.49 % or 113.8 million of China 's population in 2010. During the past decades ethnic minorities have experienced higher growth rates than the majority Han population, because they are not under the one - child policy. Their proportion of the population in China has grown from 6.1 % in 1953, to 8.04 % in 1990, 8.41 % in 2000, and 8.49 % in 2010. Large ethnic minorities ( data according to the 2000 census ) include the Zhuang ( 16 million, 1.28 % ), Manchu ( 10 million, 0.84 % ), Uyghur ( 9 million, 0.78 % ), Hui ( 9 million, 0.71 % ), Miao ( 8 million, 0.71 % ), Yi ( 7 million, 0.61 % ), Tujia ( 5.75 million, 0.63 % ), Mongols ( 5 million, 0.46 % ), Tibetan ( 5 million, 0.43 % ), Buyi ( 3 million, 0.23 % ), and Korean ( 2 million, 0.15 % ). Population of China according to ethnic group in censuses 1953 -- 2010 Ethnic group Language family 1953 % 1964 % 1982 % 1990 % 2000 % % Han Chinese 547,283,057 93.94 651,296,368 94.22 936,703,824 93.30 1,039,187,548 91.92 1,137,386,112 91.53 1,220,844,520 91.60 Minority groups 35,320,360 6.06 39,883,909 5.78 67,233,254 6.67 90,570,743 8.01 105,225,173 8.47 111,966,349 8.40 Zhuang Tai - Kadai 6,611,455 1.13 8,386,140 1.21 13,441,900 1.32 15,555,820 1.38 16,178,811 1.28 16,926,381 1.27 Hui Chinese 3,559,350 0.61 4,473,147 0.64 7,207,780 0.71 8,612,001 0.76 9,816,802 0.78 10,586,087 0.79 Manchu Tungusic 2,418,931 0.42 2,695,675 0.39 4,299,950 0.43 9,846,776 0.87 10,682,263 0.84 10,387,958 0.78 Uyghurs Turkic 3,640,125 0.62 3,996,311 0.58 5,917,030 0.59 7,207,024 0.64 8,399,393 0.66 10,069,346 0.76 Miao Miao - Yao / Hmong - Mien 2,511,339 0.43 2,782,088 0.40 5,017,260 0.50 7,383,622 0.65 8,940,116 0.71 9,426,007 0.71 Yi Tibeto - Burman 3,254,269 0.56 3,380,960 0.49 5,492,330 0.54 6,578,524 0.58 7,762,286 0.61 8,714,393 0.65 Tujia Tibeto - Burman 284,900 0.03 5,725,049 0.51 8,028,133 0.63 8,353,912 0.63 Tibetans Tibeto - Burman 2,775,622 0.48 2,501,174 0.36 3,821,950 0.38 4,593,072 0.41 5,416,021 0.43 6,282,187 0.47 Mongols Mongolic 1,462,956 0.25 1,965,766 0.28 3,402,200 0.34 4,802,407 0.42 5,813,947 0.46 5,981,840 0.45 Buyei Tai - Kadai 1,247,883 0.21 1,348,055 0.19 2,103,150 0.21 2,548,294 0.22 2,971,460 0.23 2,870,034 0.22 Korean Korean 1,120,405 0.19 1,339,569 0.19 1,783,150 0.18 1,923,361 0.17 1,923,842 0.15 1,830,929 0.14 Dong Tai - Kadai 712802 836123 1,446,190 0.14 2,508,624 0.22 2,960,293 0.24 2,879,974 0.22 Yao Miao - Yao / Hmong - Mien 665933 857265 1,414,870 0.14 2,137,033 0.19 2,637,421 0.21 2,796,003 0.21 Bai Sino - Tibetan 567119 706623 1,147,360 0.11 1,598,052 0.14 1,858,063 0.15 1,933,510 0.15 Hani Tibeto - Burman 481220 628727 1,063,300 0.11 1,254,800 0.11 1,439,673 0.12 1,660,932 0.12 Kazakh Turkic 509375 491637 878,570 0.09 1,110,758 0.10 1,250,458 0.10 1,462,588 0.11 Li Tai - Kadai 360950 438813 882,030 0.09 1,112,498 0.10 1,247,814 0.10 1,463,064 0.11 Dai Tai - Kadai 478966 535389 864,340 0.09 1,025,402 0.09 1,158,989 0.09 1,261,311 0.09 She Miao - Yao / Hmong - Mien 234167 379,080 0.04 634,700 0.06 709,592 0.06 708,651 0.05 Lisu Tibeto - Burman 317465 270628 466,760 0.05 574,589 0.05 634,912 0.05 702,839 0.05 Gelao Tai - Kadai 26852 59,810 0.01 438,192 0.04 579,357 0.05 550,746 0.04 Dongxiang Mongolic 155761 147443 279523 -- 373,669 0.03 513,805 0.04 621,500 0.05 Gaoshan Austronesian 329 366 1,750 0.00 2,877 0.00 4,461 0.00 4,009 0.00 Lahu Tibeto - Burman 139060 191241 320,350 0.03 411,545 0.04 453,705 0.04 485,966 0.04 Sui Tai - Kadai 133566 156099 300,690 0.03 347,116 0.03 406,902 0.03 411,847 0.03 Va Mon - Khmer 286158 200272 271,050 0.03 351,980 0.03 396,610 0.03 429,709 0.03 Nakhi Tibeto - Burman 143453 156796 248,650 0.02 277,750 0.02 308,839 0.02 326,295 0.02 Qiang Tibeto - Burman 35660 49105 109,760 0.01 198,303 0.02 306,072 0.02 309,576 0.02 Tu Mongolic 53277 77349 148,760 0.01 192,568 0.02 241,198 0.02 289,565 0.02 Mulao Tai - Kadai 52819 91,790 0.01 160,648 0.01 207,352 0.02 216,257 0.02 Xibe Tungusic 19022 33438 77,560 0.01 172,932 0.02 188,824 0.02 190,481 0.01 Kyrgyz Turkic 70944 70151 108,790 0.01 143,537 0.01 160,823 0.01 186,708 0.01 Daur Mongolic 63394 94126 -- 121,463 0.01 132,143 0.01 131,992 0.01 Jingpo Tibeto - Burman 101852 57762 100,180 0.01 119,276 0.01 132,143 0.01 147,828 0.01 Maonan Tai - Kadai 22382 37,450 0.00 72,370 0.01 107,106 0.01 101,192 0.01 Salar Turkic 30658 69135 68,030 0.01 82,398 0.01 104,503 0.01 130,607 0.01 Blang Mon - Khmer 39411 58473 -- 87,546 0.01 91,882 0.01 119,639 0.01 Tajik Indo - European ( Iranian ) 14462 16236 27,430 0.00 33,223 0.00 41,028 0.00 51,069 0.00 Achang Tibeto - Burman 12032 31,490 0.00 27,718 0.00 33,936 0.00 39,555 0.00 Pumi Tibeto - Burman 14298 18,860 0.00 29,721 0.00 33,600 0.00 42,861 0.00 Ewenki Tungusic 4957 9681 19,440 0.00 26,379 0.00 30,505 0.00 30,875 0.00 Nu Tibeto - Burman 15047 25,980 0.00 27,190 0.00 28,759 0.00 37,523 0.00 Gin ( Vietnamese ) Mon - Khmer 12,140 0.00 18,749 0.00 22,517 0.00 28,199 0.00 Jino Tibeto - Burman 11,260 0.00 18,022 0.00 20,899 0.00 23,143 0.00 De'ang Mon - Khmer -- -- 15,461 0.00 17,935 0.00 20,556 0.00 Bonan Mongolic 4957 5125 6,620 0.00 11,683 0.00 16,505 0.00 20,074 0.00 Russian Indo - European ( Slavic ) 22656 1326 2,830 0.00 13,500 0.00 15,609 0.00 15,393 0.00 Yugur Turkic 3861 5717 7,670 0.00 12,293 0.00 13,719 0.00 14,378 0.00 Uzbek Turkic 13626 7717 13,810 0.00 14,763 0.00 13,370 0.00 10,569 0.00 Monba Tibeto - Burman 3809 1,040 0.00 7,498 0.00 8,923 0.00 10,561 0.00 Oroqen Tungusic 2262 2709 2,280 0.00 7,004 0.00 8,196 0.00 8,659 0.00 Derung Tibeto - Burman 4,250 0.00 5,825 0.00 7,426 0.00 6,930 0.00 Chinese Tatars Turkic 6929 2294 7,510 0.00 5,064 0.00 4,890 0.00 3,556 0.00 Hezhen Tungusic 718 670 0.00 4,254 0.00 4,640 0.00 5,354 0.00 Lhoba Tibeto - Burman 1,030 0.00 2,322 0.00 2,965 0.00 3,682 0.00 Unrecognized 3,370,880 0.33 3,498 0.00 734,379 0.06 640,101 0.05 Unknown 4,720 0.00 752,347 0.07 735,379 0.06 -- -- Foreigners -- -- -- -- 941 0.00 1,448 0.00 Total mainland China 582,603,417 694,581,759 1,008,175,288 1,133,682,501 1,242,612,226 1,332,810,869 Neither Hong Kong nor Macau recognizes the official ethnic classifications maintained by the central government. In Macau, the largest substantial ethnic groups of non-Chinese descent are the Macanese, of mixed Chinese and Portuguese descent ( Eurasians ), as well as migrants from the Philippines and Thailand. Overseas Filipinas working as domestic workers comprise the largest non-Han Chinese ethnic group in Hong Kong. People from other immigration jurisdictions The 2010 Census counted 234,829 residents from Hong Kong, 21,201 residents from Macao, 170,283 residents from Taiwan, and 593,832 residents from other locations, totaling 1,020,145 residents. Nationality Residents South Korea 120,750 United States 71,493 Japan 66,159 Burma 39,776 Vietnam 36,205 Canada 19,990 France 15,087 India 15,051 Germany 14,446 Australia 13,286 Other countries 181,589 TOTAL 593,832 Languages Main articles : Languages of China, Chinese language, and Languages of Hong Kong The official spoken standard in the People 's Republic of China is Standard Chinese, also known as Putonghua. Its pronunciation is based on the Beijing dialect of the Mandarin Chinese dialect group, which was traditionally the formal version the Chinese language. Other languages include other varieties of Chinese : Mandarin dialects, as well as Wu ( Shanghainese ), Yue ( Cantonese ), Eastern Min ( Fuzhou ), Southern Min ( Hokkien or Taiwanese and Teochiu ), Xiang, Gan and Hakka ; there are also minority languages spoken in China. Over 70 % of the Han ethnic group are native speakers of the Mandarin group of dialects spoken in northern and southwestern China. The rest, concentrated in south and southeast China, speak one of the six other major Chinese varieties. In addition to their own local dialect, nearly all Chinese also speak Standard Mandarin ( Putonghua ), which is the language of instruction in all schools and is used for formal and official purposes. Non-Chinese languages spoken widely by ethnic minorities include Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur language and other Turkic languages ( in Xinjiang ), Korean ( in the northeast ), and Vietnamese ( in the southeast ). In addition to Chinese, in the special administrative regions, English is an official language of Hong Kong and Portuguese is an official language of Macau. Patuá is a Portuguese creole spoken by a small number of Macanese. English, though not official, is widely used in Macau. In both of the special administrative regions, the dominant spoken form of Chinese is Cantonese. For written Chinese, the PRC officially uses simplified Chinese characters in mainland China, while traditional Chinese characters are used in Hong Kong and Macau. The de facto spoken standard in Hong Kong and Macao is Cantonese, although officially it is just the Chinese language, not specifying which spoken form is standard. The written official standard in Hong Kong and Macao is Mandarin in traditional Chinese characters. On 1 January 1979, the PRC Government officially adopted the hanyu pinyin system for spelling Chinese names and places in mainland China in Roman letters. A system of romanization invented by the Chinese, pinyin has long been widely used in mainland China on street and commercial signs as well as in elementary Chinese textbooks as an aid in learning Chinese characters. Variations of pinyin also are used as the written forms of several minority languages. Pinyin replaced other conventional spellings in mainland China 's English - language publications. The U.S. Government and United Nations also adopted the pinyin system for all names of people and places in mainland China. For example, the capital of the PRC is spelled `` Beijing '' rather than `` Peking ''. Religions Geographic distribution of religions in China and Taiwan today. Chinese traditional religions : including worship of gods and ancestors, Confucianism, Taoism, and aspects from Buddhism Buddhism Islam Ethnic minorities ' indigenous religions Mongolian shamanism Dongbei folk religion and Manchu shamanism A pavilion of the Zi Fu Chan Buddhist monastery in Fuyang, Anhui. Main articles : Religion in China, Religion in Hong Kong, and Religion in Macau China has long been a cradle and host to a variety of the most enduring religio - philosophical traditions of the world. Confucianism and Taoism, plus Buddhism, constitute the `` three teachings '', philosophical frameworks which historically have had a significant role in shaping Chinese culture. Elements of these three belief systems are often incorporated into the traditional folk religions. Chinese religions are family - oriented and do not demand exclusive adherence, allowing the practice or belief of several at the same time. Some scholars prefer not to use the term `` religion '' in reference to belief systems in China, and suggest `` cultural practices '', `` thought systems '' or `` philosophies '' as more appropriate terms. There is a stimulating debate over what to call religion and who should be called religious in China. The emperors of China claimed the Mandate of Heaven and participated in Chinese religious practices. Since 1949, China has been governed by the Communist Party of China, which, in theory, is as an officially atheist institution and prohibits party members from belonging to a religion. During Mao Zedong 's rule, religious movements were oppressed. Under more recent leaders, religious organisations have been given more autonomy. Presently, the Party formally and institutionally recognises five religions in China : Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism ( though despite historic links, the Party enforces a separation of the Chinese Catholic Church from the Roman Catholic Church ). Demographically, the largest group of religious traditions is the Chinese folk religion, which overlaps with Taoism and Confucianism, and describes the worship of the shen 神, a character that signifies the `` energies of generation '', comprising deities of the natural environment, gods of human groups, heroes and ancestors, and figures from Chinese mythology. Among widespread cults even officially promoted there are those of Mazu ( goddess of the seas ), Huangdi ( divine patriarch of all the Chinese, `` Volksgeist '' of the Chinese nation ), Guandi ( god of war and business ), Caishen ( god of prosperity and richness ), Pangu and many others. China has many of the world 's tallest statues, including the tallest of all, the Spring Temple Buddha in Henan. Most of them represent buddhas and deities and have been built in the 2000s. Scholars have noted that in China there is no clear boundary between religions, especially Buddhism, Taoism and local folk religious practice. According to the most recent demographic analyses, an average 80 % of the population in China, that is hundreds of millions of people, practice some kinds of Chinese folk religions and Taoism, 10 -- 16 % are Buddhists, 2 -- 4 % are Christians, and 1 -- 2 % are Muslims. In addition to Han people 's local religious practices, there are also various ethnic minority groups in China who maintain their traditional autochthone religions. Various sects of indigenous origin gather 2 -- 3 % of the population, while Confucianism as a religious self - designation is popular among intellectuals. Significant faiths specifically connected to certain ethnic groups include Tibetan Buddhism and the Islamic religion of the Hui and Uyghur peoples. Christianity in China was introduced two times between the 7th and the 15th centuries, but failed to take root. It was reintroduced in the 16th century by Jesuit missionaries. Protestant missions and later Catholic missionaries expanded the presence of Christianity, which influenced the Taiping Rebellion of the mid 19th century. Under Communism, foreign missionaries were expelled, most churches closed and their schools, hospitals and orphanages seized. During the Cultural Revolution, many priests were imprisoned. After the late 1970s, religious freedoms for Christians improved. Migration Main articles : Migration in China and Chinese emigration Internal migration in the People 's Republic of China is one of the most extensive in the world according to the International Labour Organization. In fact, research done by Kam Wing Chan of the University of Washington suggests that `` In the 30 years since 1979, China 's urban population has grown by about 440 million to 622 million in 2009. Of the 440 million increase, about 340 million was attributable to net migration and urban reclassification. Even if only half of that increase was migration, the volume of rural - urban migration in such a short period is likely the largest in human history. '' Migrants in China are commonly members of a floating population, which refers primarily to migrants in China without local household registration status through the Chinese Hukou system. In general, rural - urban migrant workers are most excluded from local educational resources, citywide social welfare programs and many jobs because of their lack of hukou status. In 2011 a total of 252.78 million migrant workers ( an increase of 4.4 % compared to 2010 ) existed in China. Out of these, migrant workers who left their hometown and worked in other provinces accounted for 158.63 million ( an increase of 3.4 % compared to 2010 ) and migrant workers who worked within their home provinces reached 94.15 million ( an increase of 5.9 % compared to 2010 ). Estimations are that Chinese cities will face an influx of another 243 million migrants by 2025, taking the urban population up to nearly 1 billion people. This population of migrants would represent `` almost 40 percent of the total urban population, '' a number which is almost three times the current level. While it is often difficult to collect accurate statistical data on migrant floating populations, the number of migrants is undoubtedly quite large. `` In China 's largest cities, for instance, it is often quoted that at least one out of every five persons is a migrant. '' China 's government influences the pattern of urbanization through the Hukou permanent residence registration system, land - sale policies, infrastructure investment and the incentives offered to local government officials. The other factors influencing migration of people from rural provincial areas to large cities are employment, education, business opportunities and higher standard of living. Map of Chinese Migration from the 1800s to 1949 The mass emigration known as the Chinese diaspora, which occurred from the 19th century to 1949, was mainly caused by wars and starvation in mainland China, invasion from various foreign countries, as well as the problems resulting from political corruption. Most immigrants were illiterate peasants and manual labourers, called `` coolies '' by analogy to the same pattern of immigration from India, who emigrated to work in countries such as the Americas, Australia, South Africa and Southeast Asia. Urbanization Urban construction work in Guangshui, 2013 Main article : Urbanization in China Urbanization increased in speed following the initiation of the reform and opening policy. By the end of 2014, 54.7 % of the total population lived in urban areas, a rate that rose from 26 % in 1990. CIA world Factbook The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated. No statistics have been included for areas currently governed by the Republic of China ( Taiwan ). Unless stated otherwise, statistics refer only to mainland China. ( See Demographics of Hong Kong and Demographics of Macau. ) Population Mainland only : 1,379,302,771 ( 2015 ) Hong Kong : 7,191,503 ( 2015 ) Macau : 601,969 ( 2015 ) Total : 1,387,096,243 ( 2015 ). Population rank : 1 ( See List of countries by population. ) Urban - rural ratio Urban : 55.8 % ( 2015 ) -- 779,478,624 Rural : 44.2 % ( 2015 ) -- 617,549,929 Age structure Age pyramid for China. Each box denotes a five - year age group, starting with 0 -- 5 years in the bottom box. Effects of the one - child policy result in smaller age cohorts in recent years. 0 -- 14 years : 17.15 % ( 2015 ) 15 -- 64 years : 72.04 % ( 2015 ) 65 years and : 10.81 % ( 2015 ) Population growth rate Population growth rate : 0.59 % ( 2016 ) Sex distribution Sex distribution : 104.98 ( 2016 ) Sex ratio At birth : 1.15 male ( s ) / female ( 2015 ) Under 15 years : 1.17 male ( s ) / female ( 2015 ) 15 -- 64 years : 1.08 male ( s ) / female ( 2015 ) 65 years and over : 0.92 male ( s ) / female ( 2015 ) Total population : 1.05 male ( s ) / female ( 2016 ) Infant mortality rate Total : 12.2 deaths / 1,000 live births ( 2015 est ) Male : 12.4 deaths / 1,000 live births ( 2015 est ) Female : 12.0 deaths / 1,000 live births ( 2015 est ) See Infant mortality in China Life expectancy at birth Total population : 76.34 years ( 2015 ) Male : 73.64 years ( 2015 ) Female : 79.43 years ( 2015 ) Religious affiliation Main article : Religion in China Predominantly : Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism ( Chinese folk religion ), Confucianism ( via ancestral worship ). 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( 2010 ) ' Lamb Buddha 's Migrant Workers : Self - assertion on China 's Urban Fringe '. Journal of Current Chinese Affairs ( China Aktuell ), 39, 2, 3 -- 37. Jump up ^ `` Chinese urban population 54.77 pct of total ''. Xinhua. 20 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` China -- Religion ''. Atheism.about.com. 16 December 2009. Archived from the original on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` CIA Factbook -- China ''. Cia.gov. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs -- Background Note : China ''. State.gov. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` Chinese Religions ''. Asia.msu.edu. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013. This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies document `` A Country Study : China ''. This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook website https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html. Sources Kuhn, Robert Lawrence. How China 's Leaders Think : The Inside Story of China 's Past, Current and Future Leaders. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. ISBN 1118104250 Miller, James. Chinese Religions in Contemporary Societies. ABC - CLIO, 2006. ISBN 1851096264 Yao, Xinzhong. Chinese Religion : A Contextual Approach. Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. ISBN 1847064760 Xie, Zhibin. Religious Diversity and Public Religion in China. Ashgate Publishing, 2006. ISBN 9780754656487 External links This article 's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia 's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. 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Question: where does most of the population in china live
Answer: near the east in major cities