Explanatory Notes on Main Statistical Indicators

Population

Total Population refers to the total number of people alive at a certain point of time within a given area.

The annual statistics on total population is taken at midnight, the 3lst of December, not including residents in Taiwan province, Chinese compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao and overseas Chinese.

Urban Population and Rural Population

The first definition (by the administrative system):

Urban Population refers to total population under the jurisdiction of city and the population of towns under the jurisdiction of counties.

Rural Population refers to total population of townships under the jurisdiction of counties.

The second definition (by the permanent residence):

Urban Population refers to total population of districts under the jurisdiction of a city with district establishment, the population of street committees under the jurisdiction of a city without district establishment, population of resident-committees of towns under the jurisdiction of a city without district establishment, and the of resident-committees of towns under the jurisdiction of a county.

Rural Population refers to total population except urban population.

The most recent definition of urban/rural population are classified according to the Regulation of Statistics Classification on Urban and Rural Population (Draft), formulated by the National Bureau of Statistics in 1999.

Data on urban/rural population for the 1982 population census are based on the first definition, data for the 1990 population census are based on the second definition, and data for the 2000 population census are based on the Regulation of Statistics Classification on Urban and Rural Population (Draft), formulated by the National Bureau of Statistics in 1999. Urban/rural population for other years between the censuses are adjusted in accordance with the 1990 and 2000 population census data.

Birth Rate or (Crude Birth Rate) refers to the ratio of the number of births to the average population (or mid-period population) during a certain period of time (usually a year) which is often expressed in ‰. Birth rate in the chapter refers to annual birth rate. The following formula is used:

Birth Rate = Number of Births/Average Number of Population×1000‰

Number of births refers to live births i.e. the births when babies had showed any vital phenomena regardless of the length of pregnancy.

Annual Average Number of Population is the average of the number of population at the beginning of the year and that at the end of the year. Sometimes it is substituted for with the mid year population.

Death Rate (or Crude Death Rate) refers to the ratio of the number of deaths to the average population (or mid-period population) during a certain period of time (usually a year) which is often expressed in ‰. Death rate in the chapter refers to annual death rate. The following formula is used:

Death Rate= Number of Deaths/Annual Average Number of Population×1000‰

Natural Growth Rate of Population refers to the ratio of natural increase in population (number of births minus number of deaths) in a certain period of time (usually a year) to the average population (or mid-period population) of the same period which is often expressed in ‰. The following formulas are applied:

Natural Growth of Population = (Number of Births-Number of Deaths)/Average Number of Population×1000‰

Natural Growth Rate of Population = Birth Rate-Death Rate

Total Dependency Ratio refers to the ratio of number of dependents to the total population aged 15-64, the number of dependents being population aged 0-14 and population aged 65 and over. The total dependency ratio is calculated as follows:

Total Dependency Ratio = Number of Dependents/Population Aged 15-64×100%

The Aged Dependency Ratio refers to the ratio of the number of the aged population to the total population aged 15-64, the aged being population aged 65 and over. The aged dependency ratio is calculated as follows:

The Aged Dependency Ratio = Number of the Aged Population/ Population Aged 15-64×100%

The Juvenile and Children Dependency Ratio refers to the ratio of the number of the juvenile and children to the total population aged 15-64, the juvenile and children being population aged 0-14. The juvenile and children dependency ratio is calculated as follows:

The Juvenile and Children Dependency Ratio = Number of Juvenile and Children/ Population Aged 15-64×100%