Sex ratio at birth in China
China: Sex ratio at birth was 1.1 male births per female births in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.1 male births per female births
Change on year
down 0.5%
World rank
5th
of 218 countries
All-time high
1.18 male births per female births
in 2004
All-time low
1.06 male births per female births
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Sex ratio at birth in China, 1960–2024
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in male births per female births.
Analysis
In 2024, sex ratio at birth in China stood at 1.1 male births per female births.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and down 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sex ratio at birth in China peaked at 1.18 male births per female births in 2004 and was at its lowest, 1.06 male births per female births, in 1960.
China ranks 5th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Sex ratio at birth in China, year by year
| Year | male births per female births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.06 male births per female births | — |
| 1961 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.06 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 1.07 male births per female births | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 1.08 male births per female births | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 1.08 male births per female births | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 1.09 male births per female births | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 1.09 male births per female births | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 1.1 male births per female births | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 1.1 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 1.11 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 1.12 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 1.12 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 1.13 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 1.14 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 1.15 male births per female births | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 1.15 male births per female births | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 1.16 male births per female births | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 1.16 male births per female births | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 1.17 male births per female births | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.17 male births per female births | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 1.17 male births per female births | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 1.17 male births per female births | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 1.18 male births per female births | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 1.18 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.18 male births per female births | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 1.18 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.18 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.18 male births per female births | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 1.18 male births per female births | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 1.17 male births per female births | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 1.17 male births per female births | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.17 male births per female births | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 1.16 male births per female births | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 1.16 male births per female births | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 1.16 male births per female births | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 1.15 male births per female births | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 1.15 male births per female births | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 1.13 male births per female births | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 1.14 male births per female births | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 1.14 male births per female births | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.11 male births per female births | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 1.1 male births per female births | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.11 male births per female births | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 1.11 male births per female births | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 1.1 male births per female births | -0.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.1 male births per female births is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.05 male births per female births, 1.0× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- China's 1.1 male births per female births is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.07 male births per female births, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.06 male births per female births | 1.06 male births per female births | 1.06 male births per female births | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.07 male births per female births | 1.06 male births per female births | 1.07 male births per female births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.09 male births per female births | 1.07 male births per female births | 1.11 male births per female births | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.15 male births per female births | 1.12 male births per female births | 1.17 male births per female births | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.18 male births per female births | 1.17 male births per female births | 1.18 male births per female births | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.15 male births per female births | 1.13 male births per female births | 1.17 male births per female births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.11 male births per female births | 1.1 male births per female births | 1.11 male births per female births | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 2 Northern Mariana Islands 1.15 male births per female births compare
- 3 Azerbaijan 1.11 male births per female births compare
- 4 Viet Nam 1.11 male births per female births compare
- 6 Armenia 1.08 male births per female births compare
- 7 Tonga 1.08 male births per female births compare
- 8 Macau, China 1.08 male births per female births compare
More health data for China
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.0985 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,029 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,642 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 10 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -8.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0159 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -8.73 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sex ratio at birth in China?
- Sex ratio at birth in China was 1.1 male births per female births in 2024, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest sex ratio at birth recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.18 male births per female births in 2004.
- What is the lowest sex ratio at birth recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.06 male births per female births in 1960.
- How does China rank for sex ratio at birth?
- China ranks 5th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sex ratio at birth rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Sex ratio at birth refers to male births per female births.