For decades, the Chinese Communist Party was worried about overpopulation. In 1978 it told Chinese families they could only have one kid to contain the ballooning population size. But after years of restricting the number of births, China's population is now shrinking — fast. This demographic trend is a massive problem for China, currently vying to overtake the US as the world's largest economy. Meanwhile, the US population has also started to decline over the past decade. We compare their population growth rates from 1961-2020.

More For You

Will Fitzpatrick

Tens of thousands still remain missing after the RSF’s siege of El Fasher. The RSF also remains in control of the city, and the civil war continues to drag on with seemingly no end in sight.

Representatives of secondary school pupils organisations Les Lyceens vice-president Louis Letoublon (3rd L), Renouveau Lycee president Nathanael Combary (2nd R), Renouveau Lycee Monica-Shannon Ongmilan (L), and Bordeaux Academy representative to the National Council for High School Life Elliot Hostin (R), speak to the press as they leave the Hotel Matignon after a meeting with French Prime Minister on October 26, 2026
Paoloni Jeremy/ABACA via Reuters Connect

After weeks of student-led protests over poor conditions in French schools, the government has promised to replace its controversial university admissions platform by 2028.