China's population declines for third year, raising demographic concerns

China's population has decreased for the third consecutive year, now totaling 1.408 billion, a drop of 1.39 million from 2022. This decline highlights challenges such as an aging population and a shortage of working-age individuals. The birthrate continues to fall, with China overtaken by India as the world's most populous nation in 2023. The sex ratio remains imbalanced, with 104.34 men for every 100 women, contributing to potential social issues. Government incentives to encourage larger families have had limited success. As urbanization increases, with 10 million more people moving to cities, some schools are being repurposed into care facilities for the elderly.