Population Statistics
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China
Population 1
| 1,411,750,000 |
|---|
| (2022 est.) |
Language 2
| Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official) |
|---|
| Yue |
| Wu |
| Minbei |
| Minnan |
| Xiang |
| Gan |
| Hakka |
Each of these languages contains multiple dialects and local variations, such as Cantonese, Shanghainese, Hokkien and Teochew. There are several hundred dialects spoken in total, as well as approximately 300 minority languages, including Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur, Kyrgyz and Zhuang.
Religion 2
| Folk Religion | 21.9% |
|---|---|
| Buddhism | 18.2% |
| Christianity | 5.1% |
| Islam | 1.8% |
| Unaffiliated | 52.1% |
| Other | 0.9% |
| (2021 est.) |
Measurement of religious affiliation in China varies considerably depending on survey methodology. The 2018 Chinese General Social Survey reported 90% of respondents having no religious affiliation.3
Ethnicity 2
| Han Chinese | 91.1% |
|---|---|
| Ethnic minorities | 8.9% |
| Vietnamese | 0.4% |
| South Korean | 0.3% |
| Other | 1.2% |
| (2021 est.) |
The Chinese government officially recognises 56 ethnic groups. Ethnic minorities include Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and others.
Cultural Dimensions
| 80 | |
| 43 | |
| 66 | |
| 30 | |
| 77 | |
| 24 |
Chinese in Australia
These demographic statistics pertain to individuals in Australia who were born in China, as reported in the 2021 Australian Housing and Population Census. The data represent responses from first-generation migrants and do not include the total number of people in Australia who may identify as Chinese.
Population 4
549,618
This figure refers to the number of Australian residents who were born in China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Citizenship
| Australian citizen | 41.4% |
|---|---|
| Not an Australian citizen | 58.3% |
Median Age
39
Gender
| Male | 43.7% |
|---|---|
| Female | 56.3% |
Religion
| No Religion | 75.6% |
|---|---|
| Buddhism | 10.0% |
| Christianity | 2.6% |
| Not Stated | 2.5% |
| Catholic | 2.3% |
Ancestry
| Chinese | 97.4% |
|---|---|
| English | 2.9% |
| Russian | 0.7% |
| Australian | 0.7% |
| Tibetan | 0.2% |
These are the top ancestry responses of people born in China. Respondents could provide up to two answers. Therefore, the sum of all ancestry responses exceeds the total number of people.
Language Spoken at Home
| Mandarin | 78.2% |
|---|---|
| Cantonese | 14.9% |
| English | 3.4% |
| Other Languages | 1.8% |
Of those who speak a language other than English at home, 66.1% speak English fluently.
Diaspora
| New South Wales | 45.0% |
|---|---|
| Victoria | 31.2% |
| Queensland | 10.1% |
| Western Australia | 5.2% |
| Other | 8.4% |
Arrival to Australia
| Prior to 1991 | 12.4% |
|---|---|
| 1991 - 2000 | 11.8% |
| 2001 - 2010 | 31.1% |
| 2011 - 2015 | 19.7% |
| 2016 - 2021 | 25.0% |
Australians with Chinese Ancestry
1,390,639
This figure represents the total number of people in Australia who reported Chinese ancestry in the 2021 Census, including individuals born in Australia, China, and other countries. It captures the responses of first-, second-, and third-generation migrants who may identify as Chinese, regardless of their birthplace.5