China's marriage rate hits 40-year low in 2024, deepening population woes

Given that most births in China occur within marriage, this downward trend in marriage rates is expected to push birth figures even lower in 2025

China recorded its lowest number of new marriages in four decades in 2024, highlighting the country’s deepening demographic challenges, including a declining birth rate and shrinking population. According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs, only 6.10 million couples registered their marriages last year, marking a sharp 20.5 per cent drop from 2023.