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

China's population has decreased for the third consecutive year, now at 1.408 billion, down by 1.39 million from 2023. This decline highlights challenges such as an aging population and a shortage of working-age individuals. The drop in birth rates is attributed to rising living costs, leading many young people to delay marriage and childbirth. The sex ratio remains imbalanced, with 104.34 men for every 100 women, contributing to social concerns. Despite government incentives to encourage larger families, the effects have been minimal. Urbanization continues, with 10 million more people moving to cities, raising the urbanization rate to 67%.