Increase in China's birth rate by 2024

On January 17, the National Bureau of Statistics released population data for China in 2024. 
At the end of the year, the total population—comprising residents from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, direct-controlled municipalities, and active military personnel—reached 1,408.28 million. 
This marks a decrease of 1.39 million from the previous year. 
According to the report, the year saw 9.54 million births, resulting in a birth rate of 6.77 per thousand. 
Meanwhile, the total number of deaths was recorded at 10.93 million, leading to a death rate of 7.76 per thousand. 
Consequently, the natural population growth rate stands at -0.99 per thousand. 
In terms of gender composition, the male population is approximately 719.09 million, while the female population totals around 689.19 million, resulting in a sex ratio of 104.34 males for every 100 females. 
Age demographics reveal that the population aged 16 to 59 comprises 85.798 million, accounting for 60.9% of the national population. 
Those aged 60 and above make up 31.031 million, representing 22.0% of the total—of which 22.023 million are aged 65 or older, constituting 15.6% of the population. 
Urbanization trends indicate a continued shift towards urban living, with the urban population at 94.35 million—an increase of 1.083 million from the end of the previous year. 
Conversely, the rural population stands at 46.478 million, showing a decrease of 1.222 million. The urbanization rate has risen to 67.00%, an increase of 0.84 percentage points from the prior year. **Summary:** China's population at the end of 2024 is reported at 1.408 billion, reflecting a decline of 1.39 million from the previous year. 
The birth rate is recorded at 6.77 per thousand, while the death rate stands at 7.76 per thousand, leading to negative natural growth. The gender ratio shows a slight male predominance, and urban areas continue to see growth, further increasing the urbanization rate to 67%.