National Bureau of Statistics of the People’s Republic of China

March 28th, 2001

In accordance with decision of the State Council, China carried out its fifth national population census on November 1st, 2000. Thanks to the leadership of State Council and governments at all levels and the support and cooperation from people of various nationalities, the field enumeration was completed through the painstaking efforts and hard work of nearly six 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 under computer processing program. The advance tabulation of the major figures has 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 (excluding Jinmen and Mazu islands of Fujian Province hereafter) and of servicemen on the mainland of China was 1,265.83 million.

The population of Hong Kong SAR was 6.78 million.

The population of Macao SAR was 440 thousand.

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 1990 population census (with zero hour of July 1, 1990 as the reference time), the total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and the servicemen of the mainland of China increased by 132.15 million persons, or 11.66 percent over the past 10 years and 4 months. The average annual growth was 12.79 million persons, or a growth rate of 1.07 percent.

III. Population of Family Households.

In the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of the mainland of China, there were 348.37 million family households with a population of 1,198.39 million persons. The average size of family household was 3.44 persons, or 0.52 persons less as compared with the 3.96 persons of the 1990 population census.

IV. Sex Composition.

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

V. Age Composition.

Of the people enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen of the mainland of China, 289.79 million persons were in the age group of 0-14, accounting for 22.89 percent of the total population; 887.93 million persons in the age group of 15-64, accounting for 70.15 percent and 88.11 million persons in the age group of 65 and over, accounting for 6.96 percent. As compared with the results of the 1990 population census, the share of people in the age group of 0-14 was down by 4.80 percentage points, and that for people aged 65 and over was up by 1.39 percentage points.

VI. Composition of Nationalities.

Of the people enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen of the mainland of China, 1,159.40 million persons or 91.59 percent were of Han nationality, and 106.43 million persons or 8.41 percent were of various national minorities. Compared with the 1990 population census, the population of Han people increased by 116.92 million persons, or 11.22 percent; while the population of various national minorities increased by 15.23 million persons, or 16.70 percent.

VII. Composition of Educational Attainment.

Of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen of the mainland of China, 45.71 million persons had finished university education (referring to junior college and above); 141.09 million persons had received senior secondary education (including secondary technical school education); 429.89 million persons had received junior secondary education and 451.91 million persons had had primary education (the educated persons included graduates and students in schools).

Compared with the 1990 population census, the following changes had taken place in the number of people with various educational attainments of every 100,000 people: number of people with university education increased to 3,611 from 1,422; number of people with senior secondary education increased to 11,146 from 8,039; number of people with junior secondary education increased from 23,344 to 33.961; and number of people with primary education decreased from 37,057 to 35,701.

Of the people enumerated in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen of the mainland of China, 85.07 million persons were illiterate or semi-literate (i.e. people over 15 years of age who can not read or can read very little). Compared with the 15.88 percent of illiterate or semi-literate people in the 1990 population census, the proportion had dropped to 6.72 percent, or down by 9.16 percentage points.

VIII. Urban and Rural Population.

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

Note:

1.  All figures in the Communique are preliminary results.

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

3.  A post-enumeration check was conducted nation wide covering 602 enumeration districts after the field enumeration. The result of the sample survey indicated that the underreport rate was 1.81 percent. The total population of the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of the mainland of China had taken into consideration of the underreporting.

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

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

6.  Population of Taiwan Province, Jinmen, Mazu and a few other islands refers to population at the end of December 2000, which was released by the Taiwan authority. 

7.  Population of family households does not include servicemen nor those who are not related to one another and live as single person in the non-family household.

8.  Calculation of urban and rural population is based on “Regulation on statistical classification of urban and rural areas (draft)” released by the National Bureau of Statistics in 1999.