Image Source: Gallery Hip

China has officially ended its one-child policy, signing into law of a bill allowing all married couples to have a second child as the country attempts to cope with an ageing population and shrinking workforce. All married couples will be allowed to have a second child but the legislation maintains limits on additional births.

The one-child policy, instituted in the late 1970s, restricted most couples to only a single offspring and for years authorities argued that it was a key contributor to China’s economic boom and had prevented 400 million births. As a result China’s population — the world’s largest at 1.37 billion — is now ageing rapidly, gender imbalances are severe, and its workforce is shrinking.

India ranks second when it comes to population and will soon surpass China’s population in coming years.