China’s birth rate declines for second year running 

China’s population has declined for a second year running.

Data released showed a population of 1.409 billion at the end of 2023 – a 2.08mdecrease from 2022.

The most recent decline is double that of the previous year, which marked the first population drop in 60 years.

The country has seen falling birth rates for decades – after a controversial one child-policy was imposed in the 1980s.

But the country’s government lifted the policy in 2015 and has even brought incentives to encourage people to stat families.

*BBC