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 Communique on Major Statistics of the Fifth National Population Census in 2000

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Communique on Major Statistics of the Fifth National Population Census in 2000 (No.1)

 

In accordance with the decision of the State Council, China carried out its fifth national population census on November 1, 2000. Under the leadership of the State Council and local governments at all levels and with the support and cooperation from people of various ethnic groups, the field enumeration was completed through the painstaking efforts and the hard work of nearly 10 million census workers. The post-enumeration check by sample survey showed that the enumeration was successful. At present, all data collected through the census are undergoing computer processing. The advance tabulation of the major figures has been completed and the results are released as follows:

 

I. Total Population

China has a population of 1,295.33 million. Of which:

The total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government (excluding Jinmen and Mazu islands of Fujian Province, same hereinafter) and of servicemen on the mainland of China was 1,265.83 million.

The population of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was 6.78 million.

The population of the Macao Special Administrative Region was 440,000.

The population of Taiwan Province and of Jinmen, Mazu and a few other islands of Fujian Province was 22.28 million.

 

II. Population Growth

Compared with the population of 1,133.68 million from the fourth national census in 1990 (with zero hour of July 1, 1990 as the reference time), the total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and of servicemen on the mainland of China increased by 132.15 million, or 11.66 percent over the past 10 years and four months. The average annual growth was 12.79 million people, or a growth rate of 1.07 percent.

 

III. Population of Family Households

In the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on china's mainland, there were 348.37 million family households with a population of 1,198.39 million. The average family size was 3.44 persons, against the figure of 3.96 in the 1990 national census.

 

IV. Sex Composition

Of the people enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen on China¡¯s mainland, 653.55 million people, or 51.63 percent, were males, while 612.28 million, or 48.37 percent, were females. The sex ratio (the ratio of males to females, with female=100) was 106.74.

 

V. Age Composition

Of the people enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen on China¡¯s mainland, 289.79 million were in the age group of 0-14, accounting for 22.89 percent of the total population; 887.93 million in the age group of 15-64, 70.15 percent; and 88.11 million in the age group of 65 and over, 6.96 percent. Compared with the 1990 national census, the proportion of people in the 0-14 age group was down by 4.8 percentage points and that of people aged 65 and over was up by 1.39 percentage points.

 

VI. Composition of Ethnic Groups

Of the population enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen on China¡¯s mainland, the Han comprised 1,159.4 million people, forming 91.59 percent of the total, and various ethnic minorities had 106.43 million people, making up 8.41 percent. Compared with the 1990 national census, the Han population increased by 116.92 million, or 11.22 percent; while the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 15.23 million, or 16.7 percent.

 

VII. Composition of Educational Attainment

Of the population in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen on China¡¯s mainland, 45.71 million had had a university education (referring to two-year college and above); 141.09 million had received a senior secondary education (including secondary vocational school education); 429.89 million had received a junior secondary education; and 451.91 million had had a primary education (the figures included graduates and students at schools).

Compared with the 1990 national census, the following changes had taken place in the number of people with various educational attainments in every 100,000 people: The number of people with a university education increased from 1,422 to 3,611; that of those with a senior secondary education from 8,039 to 11,146; those with a junior secondary education from 23,344 to 33,961; and those with a primary education decreased from 37,057 to 35,701.

Of the people enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen on China¡¯s mainland, 85.07 million were illiterate (referring to people at and over 15 years of age who cannot read or can read very little). Compared with the 1990 national census, the illiterate rate dropped from 15.88 percent to 6.72 percent, a decrease of 9.16 percentage points.

 

VIII. Urban and Rural Population

In the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, there were 455.94 million urban residents, accounting for 36.09 percent of the total population; and the number of rural residents stood at 807.39 million, accounting for 63.91 percent. Compared with the 1990 national census, the proportion of urban residents rose by 9.86 percentage points.

 

Notes:

1. All figures in this Communiqu¨¦ are preliminary results.

2. Population enumerated, with zero hour of November 1, 2000 (Beijing Time) as the reference time, covers people with citizenship of the People's Republic of China and with permanent residence on the mainland of China.

3. A post-enumeration check was conducted nationwide covering 602 enumeration districts after the field enumeration. The sample survey indicated that the under-enumeration rate was 1.81 percent. The total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities on the mainland of China had included the number under-enumerated according to calculation.

4. The population of the Hong Kong SAR was obtained from data on June 30, 2000, which was provided by the Hong Kong SAR government.

5. The population of the Macao SAR was obtained from data on September 30, 2000, which was provided by the Macro SAR government.

6. The population of Taiwan Province, and Jinmen, Mazu and a few other islands of Fujian Province was based on the data at the end of December 2000, which was released by the Taiwan authority.

7. The population of family households excludes servicemen, those who are not related one another as family members and those who live as single persons in the non-family household.

8. Calculation of urban and rural population is based on the Regulations on Statistical Classification of Urban and Rural Areas (for Trial Implementation) promulgated by the National Bureau of Statistics in 1999.