China: population of Shanghai municipality 2025| ��ƽ��

Resident population of the administrative area of Shanghai municipality, China from 1980 to 2025 (in millions)

Characteristic	Inhabitants in millions
2025	24.85
2024	24.8
2023	24.87
2022	24.76
2021	24.89
2020	24.88
2019	24.81
2018	24.75
2017	24.66
2016	24.67
2015	24.58
2014	24.67
2013	24.48
2012	23.99
2011	23.56
2010	23.03
2009	22.1
2008	21.41
2007	20.64
2006	19.64
2005	18.9
2004	18.35
2003	17.66
2002	17.13
2001	16.68
2000	16.09
1999	15.67
1998	15.27
1997	14.89
1996	14.51
1995	14.14
1994	13.98
1993	13.81
1992	13.65
1991	13.5
1990	13.34
1989	13.11
1988	12.88
1987	12.65
1986	12.49
1985	12.33
1984	12.17
1983	12.01
1982	11.86
1981	11.68
1980	11.52

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Release date

March 2026

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Region

China

Survey time period

1980 to 2025

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According to official figures, around 24.85 million permanent residents were living in the administrative area of Shanghai municipality in 2025. This was slightly more than in the previous year.

Population development in Shanghai

During the economic reform and opening-up period, Shanghai’s population more than doubled and reached 24.5 million in 2013. However, the limits of demographic growth in Chinese megacities became increasingly apparent since the beginning of the 21st century. In 2017, the Shanghai municipal government planned to limit Shanghai's population and to keep the population within the 25 million-threshold until 2035. As a result, the total population has remained relatively stable since 2013. Furthermore, inhabitants are unevenly distributed across the city districts, with the central urban areas having population densities of around 20,000 people or more per square kilometer.

Current demographic shifts

Under the conditions of restricted demographic inflows, the effect of population aging becomes increasingly apparent in Shanghai. The city traditionally had a low birth rate compared to other regions in China. In recent years, the number of deaths exceeded the number of births, a development that most probably started in 2020. This development is also reflected in the share of people aged 65 and over which increased steadily in recent times. If migration barriers are not lowered, population decrease in Shanghai is likely in the future.