China
中国
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Did you know
Papermaking, printing, gunpowder and the compass are the Four Great Inventions of ancient China. (source)
Elders in numbers
Since 2013, by law, the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, the Double Ninth Festival, has been China's official Seniors' Day. (source)
- of people are 65 or older
- 14.9%
- people aged 65 or older
- 209.7M
- will be 65 or older in 2050
- 30.9%
- is how long people live after 60, on average
- 21.5 years
- of people 65+ live alone
- 15.7%
- women 17.7%, men 13.5%
- of people 65+ live in collective quarters: care homes, hospitals, hostels and the like
- 0.3%
Sources: World Bank, 2025; World Bank projection for 2050; WHO, 2023; UN, 2020; UN, 2000 census
Languages
401 languages, 264 of them endangered
- A'ouCritically endangered
- AyiziCritically endangered
- BaramCritically endangered
- Biao MinCritically endangered
- Ili TurkiCritically endangered
- KanakanavuCritically endangered
- KavalanCritically endangered
- LawuCritically endangered
- MacaneseCritically endangered
- ManchuCritically endangered
- NungCritically endangered
- Pazeh-KaxabuCritically endangered
Show all 401
- Red GelaoCritically endangered
- SaaroaCritically endangered
- SamataoCritically endangered
- SamatuCritically endangered
- SeediqCritically endangered
- TosuCritically endangered
- BitSeverely endangered
- BolyuSeverely endangered
- CunSeverely endangered
- GangouSeverely endangered
- Green GelaoSeverely endangered
- JizhaoSeverely endangered
- KangjiaSeverely endangered
- Khamnigan MongolSeverely endangered
- KiliSeverely endangered
- Langnian BuyangSeverely endangered
- LazeSeverely endangered
- Lianshan ZhuangSeverely endangered
- MangSeverely endangered
- MangoSeverely endangered
- MazaSeverely endangered
- NanaiSeverely endangered
- Northern TujiaSeverely endangered
- OroqenSeverely endangered
- PahaSeverely endangered
- Pale PalaungSeverely endangered
- PuyumaSeverely endangered
- QabiaoSeverely endangered
- QauSeverely endangered
- Rumai PalaungSeverely endangered
- SaisiyatSeverely endangered
- SanieSeverely endangered
- SheSeverely endangered
- Southern NisuSeverely endangered
- Southern TujiaSeverely endangered
- White GelaoSeverely endangered
- YamiSeverely endangered
- Youle JinuoSeverely endangered
- AchangDefinitely endangered
- AkeuDefinitely endangered
- AluoDefinitely endangered
- ÄynuDefinitely endangered
- BaimaDefinitely endangered
- BisuDefinitely endangered
- BonanDefinitely endangered
- Buyuan JinuoDefinitely endangered
- CaijiaDefinitely endangered
- ChepyaDefinitely endangered
- ChesuDefinitely endangered
- Chinese Pidgin EnglishDefinitely endangered
- ChoyoDefinitely endangered
- CosaoDefinitely endangered
- DamuDefinitely endangered
- DaurDefinitely endangered
- Digaro MishmiDefinitely endangered
- DolpoDefinitely endangered
- DongnaDefinitely endangered
- E'ma BuyangDefinitely endangered
- EnDefinitely endangered
- ErsuDefinitely endangered
- EvenkiDefinitely endangered
- GuiqiongDefinitely endangered
- Hm NaiDefinitely endangered
- Hong Kong Sign LanguageDefinitely endangered
- HuDefinitely endangered
- HumlaDefinitely endangered
- Idu MishmiDefinitely endangered
- JaphugDefinitely endangered
- KathuDefinitely endangered
- KatsoDefinitely endangered
- KhakasDefinitely endangered
- KhángDefinitely endangered
- KinnauriDefinitely endangered
- Kiong NaiDefinitely endangered
- Kur-UrmiDefinitely endangered
- KyirongDefinitely endangered
- LachiDefinitely endangered
- LadakhiDefinitely endangered
- LakkjaDefinitely endangered
- LamuDefinitely endangered
- LaomianDefinitely endangered
- Lianghe AchangDefinitely endangered
- LizuDefinitely endangered
- Luxi AchangDefinitely endangered
- MaangDefinitely endangered
- MakDefinitely endangered
- Man MetDefinitely endangered
- MaonanDefinitely endangered
- MichaDefinitely endangered
- MijuDefinitely endangered
- MondziDefinitely endangered
- MongghulDefinitely endangered
- MuangpheDefinitely endangered
- MudaDefinitely endangered
- MulamDefinitely endangered
- MuziDefinitely endangered
- NamuyiDefinitely endangered
- NaruaDefinitely endangered
- Northern MujiDefinitely endangered
- Northern QiangDefinitely endangered
- NubriDefinitely endangered
- NumaoDefinitely endangered
- Pa DiDefinitely endangered
- Panyi BaiDefinitely endangered
- Phana’Definitely endangered
- PuroikDefinitely endangered
- SaduDefinitely endangered
- SalarDefinitely endangered
- SameiDefinitely endangered
- SangkongDefinitely endangered
- SherpaDefinitely endangered
- ShixingDefinitely endangered
- SilaDefinitely endangered
- Southeast Maoxian QiangDefinitely endangered
- Southern AltaiDefinitely endangered
- Southern QiangDefinitely endangered
- Tai HongjinDefinitely endangered
- TangwangDefinitely endangered
- ThangmiDefinitely endangered
- ThenDefinitely endangered
- TholoDefinitely endangered
- Tibetan Sign LanguageDefinitely endangered
- TinaniDefinitely endangered
- TsatDefinitely endangered
- TsouDefinitely endangered
- TsumDefinitely endangered
- UDefinitely endangered
- Western YugurDefinitely endangered
- Wuding-Luquan YiDefinitely endangered
- WutunDefinitely endangered
- YerongDefinitely endangered
- Yilan Creole JapaneseDefinitely endangered
- YounuoDefinitely endangered
- ZakhringDefinitely endangered
- ZauzouDefinitely endangered
- ZbuDefinitely endangered
- ZhabaDefinitely endangered
- AchéVulnerable
- Ai-ChamVulnerable
- Alo PholaVulnerable
- AmisVulnerable
- Ani PhowaVulnerable
- AtayalVulnerable
- AwaVulnerable
- AwuVulnerable
- Awu YiVulnerable
- AxiVulnerable
- Bargu-Shineken BuriyadVulnerable
- BasumVulnerable
- Biao MonVulnerable
- BokarVulnerable
- BokhaVulnerable
- BuganVulnerable
- BumthangVulnerable
- BunuVulnerable
- BununVulnerable
- ChadongVulnerable
- Dagang-Baoshan-LiangcunVulnerable
- Dai ZhuangVulnerable
- Derong-nJol TibetanVulnerable
- DerungVulnerable
- Dongshanba LaloVulnerable
- DongxiangVulnerable
- Drag-yabVulnerable
- DzalaVulnerable
- DzongkhaVulnerable
- EVulnerable
- Eastern Gorkha TamangVulnerable
- Eastern Huishui HmongVulnerable
- Eastern LaluVulnerable
- Eastern MinyagVulnerable
- Eastern NisuVulnerable
- Eastern YugurVulnerable
- EkaVulnerable
- EnuVulnerable
- GarhwaliVulnerable
- GejiaVulnerable
- GromaVulnerable
- Gser-RdoVulnerable
- HainaneseVulnerable
- Hlepho PhowaVulnerable
- HlersuVulnerable
- HorpaVulnerable
- KaduoVulnerable
- KhlulaVulnerable
- KucongVulnerable
- KurtöpVulnerable
- Labo PhowaVulnerable
- LarongVulnerable
- Leizhou MinVulnerable
- LhomiVulnerable
- Lianmin YaoVulnerable
- Liuqian ZhuangVulnerable
- MangdiVulnerable
- MangghuerVulnerable
- MboVulnerable
- MiliVulnerable
- MojiVulnerable
- Mongolia BuriatVulnerable
- NaluoVulnerable
- Nao KlaoVulnerable
- Northern DongVulnerable
- Northern NisuVulnerable
- Northern PumiVulnerable
- Nuoxi YaoVulnerable
- NyisuVulnerable
- OiratVulnerable
- Pa NaVulnerable
- Pa-HngVulnerable
- PaiwanVulnerable
- PelaVulnerable
- PhalaVulnerable
- PholaVulnerable
- PholoVulnerable
- PhukhaVulnerable
- PhumaVulnerable
- PhupaVulnerable
- PhuphaVulnerable
- PhuzaVulnerable
- Qila MujiVulnerable
- Riang (Myanmar)Vulnerable
- RukaiVulnerable
- SarikoliVulnerable
- Shaozhou TuhuaVulnerable
- SonglinVulnerable
- Southern LolopoVulnerable
- Southern Mashan HmongVulnerable
- Southern MongolianVulnerable
- Southern MujiVulnerable
- Southern PumiVulnerable
- StodseVulnerable
- Taiwanese Sign LanguageVulnerable
- TaluVulnerable
- TàyVulnerable
- ThophoVulnerable
- TshanglaVulnerable
- TshobdunVulnerable
- WakhiVulnerable
- Waxiang ChineseVulnerable
- Western LaluVulnerable
- Western Mashan HmongVulnerable
- Western MinyagVulnerable
- Western TamangVulnerable
- Wumeng NasuVulnerable
- XibeVulnerable
- Xishanba LaloVulnerable
- Xiyun VaVulnerable
- XuzhangVulnerable
- YangliuVulnerable
- Yonggu BiaoVulnerable
- Zhongu TibetanVulnerable
- ZokhuoVulnerable
- A-Hmao
- Akha
- Alugu
- Amdo Tibetan
- American Sign Language
- Azha
- Azhe
- Blang
- Bori
- Bouyei
- Cao Miao
- Central Bai
- Central Hongshuihe Zhuang
- Central Huishui Hmong
- Central Mashan Hmong
- Chashan
- Chinese Sign Language
- Choni
- Dao
- Dzao Min
- Eastern Hongshuihe Zhuang
- Eastern Min
- Eastern Ong-Be
- Eastern Qiandong Miao
- Eastern Xiangxi Miao
- Gan Chinese
- Gepo
- Guibei Zhuang
- Guibian Zhuang
- Hakka Chinese
- Hani
- Hezhou
- Hlai
- Hmong
- Hmong Daw
- Hmong Dô
- Hmong Njua
- Hmong Shua
- Honi
- Horned Miao
- Huizhou Chinese
- Iu Mien
- Jiamao
- Jin
- Jingpo
- Kazakh
- Khams Tibetan
- Khmu
- Khuen
- Kim Mun
- Korean
- Kua-nsi
- Kuamasi
- Kyrgyz
- Lahu
- Lahu Shi
- Lashi
- Lavrung
- Lhao Vo
- Limi
- Lipo
- Lisu
- Liujiang Zhuang
- Lolopo
- Luopohe Miao
- Mandarin
- Min Bei Chinese
- Min Zhong
- Min Zhuang
- Mok
- Mugom
- Naxi
- Nisi
- Nong Zhuang
- Northern Guiyang Hmong
- Northern Huishui Hmong
- Northern Mashan Hmong
- Northern Pinghua
- Northern Qiandong Miao
- Northwestern Nisu
- Nung
- Nuosu
- Nusu
- Ong Be
- Parauk
- Piyo
- Pu-Xian Min
- Qiubei Zhuang
- Rawang
- Russian
- Sakizaya
- Samtao
- Sani
- Sanqiao
- Shan
- Shao–Jiang Min
- Shidong Biao
- Shwe Palaung
- Situ
- Small Flowery Miao
- Sonaga
- Southern Bai
- Southern Dong
- Southern Guiyang Hmong
- Southern Min
- Southern Pinghua
- Southern Qiandong Miao
- Southwestern Guiyang Hmong
- Southwestern Huishui Hmong
- Sui
- Tai Dam
- Tai Dón
- Tai Lü
- Tai Nüa
- Tai Ya
- Tajik
- Tatar
- Tibetan
- Tuvan
- Uyghur
- Uzbek
- Va
- Vietnamese
- Vo
- Wenzhounese
- Western Xiangxi Miao
- Wu Chinese
- Wusa Nasu
- Xiang Chinese
- Yang Zhuang
- Yongbei Zhuang
- Yongnan
- Youjiang Zhuang
- Yue Chinese
- Zaiwa
- Zuojiang Zhuang
- Drugchu
Languages and their status: Glottolog v5.3, CC BY 4.0. Names: Wikidata.
UNESCO intangible heritage
- Safeguarding programme for Hezhen Yimakan storytelling2025
- Hezhen Yimakan storytelling2025
- Traditional design and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridges2024
- Qiang New Year festival2024
- Traditional Li textile techniques: spinning, dyeing, weaving and embroidering2024
- Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year2024
- Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China2022
- Ong Chun/Wangchuan/Wangkang ceremony, rituals and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the ocean2020
Show all 45
- Taijiquan2020
- Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa, knowledge and practices concerning life, health and illness prevention and treatment among the Tibetan people in China2018
- The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge in China of time and practices developed through observation of the sun’s annual motion2016
- Chinese Zhusuan, knowledge and practices of mathematical calculation through the abacus2013
- Strategy for training coming generations of Fujian puppetry practitioners2012
- Chinese shadow puppetry2011
- Acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine2010
- Peking opera2010
- Wooden movable-type printing of China2010
- Watertight-bulkhead technology of Chinese junks2010
- Meshrep2010
- Chinese traditional architectural craftsmanship for timber-framed structures2009
- China engraved block printing technique2009
- Mazu belief and customs2009
- Dragon Boat festival2009
- Chinese paper-cut2009
- Grand song of the Dong ethnic group2009
- Xi’an wind and percussion ensemble2009
- Sericulture and silk craftsmanship of China2009
- Nanyin2009
- Craftsmanship of Nanjing Yunjin brocade2009
- Traditional handicrafts of making Xuan paper2009
- Yueju opera2009
- Gesar epic tradition2009
- Traditional firing technology of Longquan celadon2009
- Regong arts2009
- Tibetan opera2009
- Manas2009
- Mongolian art of singing, Khoomei2009
- Hua’er2009
- Farmers’ dance of China’s Korean ethnic group2009
- Chinese calligraphy2009
- Art of Chinese seal engraving2009
- Kun Qu opera2008
- Urtiin Duu, traditional folk long song2008
- Uyghur Muqam of Xinjiang2008
- Guqin and its music2008
List and years: ich.unesco.org
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