Party membership exceeds Germany's population, but only 24% female

Membership in the Communist Party of China grew by 1.1 million in 2014 to a total of almost 88 million, a figure slightly larger than the entire population of Germany, South China Morning Post reported, citing figures released by the party for the 94th anniversary of its establishment on Wednesday. The figures suggested an emphasis on youth and education, with 1.7 million new members aged under 35. Of new members, 38.8% had university or graduate degrees, up 2.6% from 2013. But if the party’s membership is equal the populace of Germany, its gender ratio remains far more skewed: Only 21.7 million women were on the party roll last year.