United
Nations Population Projection, 1998 Revision, Medium Variant (million)
1950
1995
2010
2025
2050
Total
556.7
1,226.7
1,380.5
1,488.1
1,484.4
0 - 4
76.2
103.7
92.7
86.3
78.1
5 - 19
165.0
319.6
290.4
278.1
245.6
20 - 49
228.4
594.7
665.0
597.9
529.7
50 +
87.1
208.8
332.4
525.8
631.0
*Note: These estimates and projections include
the population of Mainland China and Hong Kong. Source: United Nations Population Division (to be
published): World Population Prospects. The 1998 Edition. New York (Data on CD-ROM)
During
the next 50 years China will experience a dramatic population aging.
According to this most recent UN population projection (the 1998 Revision) China will have
about 630 million people age 50 and above in 2050 - while there will be only some 78
million children below the age of 5 and just 324 million children and teenagers below the
age of 20. In other words: by 2050 China will have almost twice as many people above age
50 than below age 20.
