China has announced its first overall population decline in recent years amid an aging society and plunging birthrate. The National Bureau of Statistics reported the country had 850,000 fewer people at the end of 2022 than over the previous year. It counts only the population of mainland China while excluding Hong Kong and Macao as well as foreign residents. Read more: China's Communist Party capable of new, greater miracles That left a total of 1.411.75 billion, with 9.56 million births against 10.41 million deaths, the bureau said at a briefing on Tuesday. Men also continued to outnumber women by 722.06 million to 689.69 million, the bureau said, a result of the strict one-child policy that only officially ended in 2016 and a traditional preference for male offspring to carry on the family name. Since abandoning the policy, China has sought to encourage families to have second or even third children, with little success. The expense of raising children in China's cities is often cited as a cause, reflecting attitudes in much of east Asia where birth rates have fallen precipitously. China has long been the world's most populous nation, but is expected to soon be overtaken by India, if it has not already. Estimates put India's population at more than 1.4 billion and continuing to grow. The last time China is believed to have recorded a population decline was during the Great Leap Forward at the end of the 1950s, Mao Zedong's disastrous drive for collective farming and industrialization that produced a massive famine killing tens of millions of people. The bureau said Chinese of working-age between 16 and 59 totaled 875.56 million, accounting for 62.0% of the national population, while those aged 65 and older totaled 209.78 million, accounting for 14.9% of the total. The statistics also showed increasing urbanization in a country that until recently had been largely rural. Over 2022, the permanent urban population increased by 6.46 million to reach 920.71 million, or 65.22%, while the rural population fell by 7.31 million. Read more: China's economy grew 3% last year, not even half 2021 No direct comment was made on the possible effect on population figures of the COVID-19 outbreak that was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan before spreading around the world. China has been accused by some specialists of underreporting deaths from the virus by blaming them on underlying conditions, but no estimates of the actual number have been published. The United Nations estimated last year that the world’s population reached 8 billion on Nov. 15 and that India will replace China as the world’s most populous nation in 2023. In a report released on World Population Day, the U.N. also said global population growth fell below 1% in 2020 for the first time since 1950. Also Tuesday, the bureau released data showing China’s economic growth fell to its second-lowest level in at least four decades last year under pressure from anti-virus controls and a real estate slump. The world’s No. 2 economy grew by 3% in 2022, less than half of the previous year’s 8.1%, the data showed. That was the second-lowest annual rate since at least the 1970s after 2020, when growth fell to 2.4% at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, although activity is reviving after restrictions that kept millions of people at home and sparked protests were lifted.

Population census plays an important role in the country’s development planning providing a right picture of the realities, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Wednesday. “Through the population census, the accurate rate of education will be known and we will be able to get a true picture of the country,” she said while inaugurating the 6th population and housing census from her Chandpur residence on Wednesday. Read: Don't react to provocations on social media: Dipu Moni The 6th digital population and housing census in Bangladesh began on Wednesday across the country. Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) has launched the population census past midnight Tuesday. How many people remain illiterate, how many people are educated and their financial-social status will be known from the census, which will help to make plans for different activities, she said. This is the first time in Bangladesh that the government has conducted the population census digitally. Earlier on Tuesday, State Minister for Planning Shamsul Alam said around 3.70 lakh enumerators will collect the data countrywide from June 15 to 21, for planned development of the country. Read: More institutions to come under MPO: Dipu Moni The BBS has completed a trial of information collection process for the enumerators in several phases and constructed a census area for each 100 households. The main objectives of census population and housing are- calculating the total population by counting the members of each house and families, determining the number of houses / dwellings in the country; collection of data for adoption of overall development plan, Provide information for determining constituencies in local and national elections; and provide information aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of national resources, said BBS. The first population census in Bangladesh was conducted in 1974. Subsequently, the population and housing censuses were held again in 1981, 1991, 2001, and 2011.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation on June 14 on the eve of the start of countrywide population and household census, Planning Minister MA Mannan told parliament on Monday. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) will conduct population and household census simultaneously for seven days from June 15 to 21 to collect socio-economic data of all the people of the country. The minister sought the help of all members of parliament so that the people can take active participation in the population and household census. The senior minister came up with the statement in the House while speaking under section 300 of the rules of procedure of parliament. READ: BBS partners with Robi to deliver Bangladesh's 1st digital census data He said that he personally sent an demi official (DO) letter to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Chief Whip, whips, Opposition Chief Whip, ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers and opposition leader and MPs seeking their full support to encourage people to give accurate information apart from their active participation. “I am reiterating my appeal again to the parliament,” he added.