A demographic picture related to marriage and population in China has recently attracted attention. Social media and some media reports claim that China has around 30 million more men than women, and that this imbalance is contributing to a marriage crisis in the country. At the same time, it has been reported that only around 6.1 million marriages were registered in China in 2024, compared with around 13.5 million in 2013.
There is substantial factual information behind these figures, but it is important to understand that the total male-female population ratio and the ratio among people of marriageable age are not the same thing. Official Chinese data presents a more complex picture.
How Many Marriages Were Registered in China in 2024 ?
According to data from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, approximately 6.106 million couples registered their marriages nationwide in 2024. This was about 20.5% lower than the 7.68 million marriage registrations recorded in 2023.
An important point needs to be understood here. The government's figure of 6.106 million refers to couples, not individual people. Therefore, it should not be interpreted as 6.1 million men and 6.1 million women individually.
In 2024, China's marriage registration rate also fell to around 4.3 registrations per 1,000 people, while approximately 3.513 million divorce cases were recorded during the same year.
A Major Decline in Marriages Since 2013
The 2013 figure is important for understanding China's current marriage-registration situation. According to available official data, approximately 13.469 million couples registered marriages in 2013. Marriage registrations subsequently declined over several years.
Although registrations increased to around 7.68 million in 2023, they fell sharply again in 2024. As a result, the 2024 figure was approximately 55% lower than the 2013 level.
However, it would not be accurate to attribute this decline solely to the male-female ratio. Government data and expert analysis point to several factors, including a declining population of marriageable age, delayed marriage, economic pressures, and changing social preferences.
Does China Really Have 30 Million More Men Than Women ?
The claim is not completely unfounded, but it needs to be interpreted correctly.
According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2024, China's total population was approximately 1.40828 billion. There were around 719.09 million men and 689.19 million women. This means that the total number of men exceeded the number of women by approximately 29.9 million.
The overall sex ratio was approximately 104.34 males for every 100 females.
Therefore, saying that China has around 30 million more men than women is correct in terms of the total population.
However, this does not mean that 30 million men will definitely be unable to find female partners for marriage. Marriage patterns depend on many factors, including age, region, marital status, migration, social circumstances, and individual preferences.
Why Does China Have More Men Than Women ?
China has had a higher-than-normal sex ratio at birth for a long period. According to an official report from the National Bureau of Statistics, China's sex ratio at birth was 111.3 boys for every 100 girls in 2020. The report notes that the ratio had reached 121.2 in 2004, after which it gradually declined.
The long-term imbalance in the sex ratio at birth also affected later age groups. An official analysis for 2020 reported that the number of men exceeded the number of women by approximately 33 million, with a significant male surplus also present among people aged 20–40. In demography, this situation is often described as a “marriage squeeze.”
However, it is also important to note that China's sex ratio at birth has improved over time. Therefore, the country's current situation cannot be explained solely by the historical imbalance in births.
Gender Imbalance Is Not the Only Reason for Fewer Marriages
China is also experiencing a decline in the population of people in the typical marriageable age groups.
Between 2013 and 2023, the number of people aged 20–39 reportedly declined from approximately 435 million to 371 million. This represents a reduction of around 64 million people in this age group.
This can have a direct effect on the overall number of marriages because the size of the population entering marriage itself is becoming smaller.
Another important change is the increasing age at which young people marry. Higher education, employment conditions, housing costs, childcare and education expenses, and economic uncertainty can influence decisions about marriage and starting a family. Various experts have linked these factors to China's declining marriage rate.
However, caution is necessary: the available data indicates relationships between these factors and marriage trends, but there is no single reason behind every individual's decision about marriage.
China's Overall Population Is Also Declining
The decline in marriages is connected to China's broader demographic situation.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China's total population at the end of 2024 was 1.40828 billion, around 1.39 million lower than in 2023.
In 2024, approximately 9.54 million babies were born, while around 10.93 million people died. As a result, China's natural population growth rate was approximately -0.99 per thousand.
In 2024, people aged 60 and above accounted for 22% of China's population, while those aged 65 and above accounted for 15.6%.
This shows that China is facing not only declining marriage registrations but also broader demographic challenges, including population ageing and a low birth rate.
What Steps Has the Chinese Government Taken ?
The Chinese government has also taken steps to make marriage registration easier.
The revised Marriage Registration Regulations came into effect on May 10, 2025. Under the revised system, eligible couples can register their marriage at a relevant marriage-registration office regardless of their household-registration location, rather than being restricted to their hukou location as under the previous system. In many cases, the requirement to provide a hukou book was also removed.
The government has also taken measures aimed at reducing excessive bride prices and expensive wedding practices.
In 2024, the Supreme People's Court introduced a judicial interpretation concerning disputes related to bride prices.
A New Signal From the 2025 Data
An important update is that the situation did not continue in exactly the same direction after 2024.
According to Chinese government information, approximately 6.76 million marriages were registered in 2025, around 657,000 more than in 2024.
This means that marriage registrations increased year-on-year in 2025.
Therefore, while the 2024 data represents an important long-term demographic trend of declining marriage registrations, it would not be accurate to say that marriage registrations are falling every single year continuously.
The fact that China has around 30 million more men than women is an official figure based on the country's total population, while the decline in marriage registrations to approximately 6.106 million couples in 2024 is also supported by official data.
However, combining these two figures and concluding that “30 million Chinese men have no women to marry” would not be factually accurate.
China's marriage-related challenges are the result of several interconnected factors, including the historical gender imbalance, a shrinking population of marriageable age, delayed marriage, economic and housing pressures, and changing social preferences.
At the same time, the increase in marriage registrations recorded in 2025 shows that the situation is not static.
Overall, China's marriage trends should therefore be understood not simply as a shortage of women, but as part of a broader transformation involving demographics, marriage behaviour, population ageing, economic conditions, and changing social patterns.
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