China's population decline accelerated in 2023, official data showed on Wednesday.

The National Bureau of Statistics said the total number of people in the country dropped for the second straight year, falling 2.08 million, or 0.15 percent, to 1.409 billion.

That's more than double the decrease in 2022 when the population was down by 850,000, the first decline in more than 60 years.

Total deaths in 2023 rose 6.6 percent to 11.1 million, while births fell 5.7 percent to 9.02 million.

The birth rate was 6.39 births per 1,000 people, down from 6.77 in 2022.

Meanwhile, the working-age population, defined as those between 16 and 59 years old, fell to 61 percent of the total population, continuing a gradual decline.

The fresh data added to concerns about the world's second-largest economy due to fewer workers and consumers, as well as the rising costs of elderly care and retirement benefits amid an ageing population.

India surpassed China as the world's most populous nation last year, according to estimates by the United Nations.

Yuan Xin, a professor at Nankai University and vice-president of the China Population Association, said that "the downward trend in China’s total population is bound to be long-term and become an inherent characteristic." (Agencies)