Explanatory Notes on Main Statistical Indicators

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 midnightthe 3lst of Decembernot including residents in Taiwan province Chinese compatriots in Hong Kong and Macao and overseas Chinese

Urban Population and Rural Population are classifiedin generalwith the permanent population

Urban Population refers to the population living in areas under the jurisdiction of cities or towns

Rural Population refers to the population of counties excluding those living in towns

City refers to cities established with the approval of the central government

Town refers to towns established with the approval of the governments of provinceautonomous regionor municipality directly under the central governmentPrior to 1963a town was defined as an area with more than 2000 permanent residentsof which 50% or more were non-agricultural population. A revision of the definition was made in 1964. By the new definition, a town was an area with more than 3000 permanent residents, of which 70% or more were nonagricultural population or an area with more than 2500, but lower than 3000 permanent residents, of which 85% or more were nonagricultural population. Further adjustment was made in 1984a town is defined as: (1) an area being the location of countylevel government agencyor (2) a township with a total population less than 20000, where the nonagricultural population of the location of a township government exceeds 2000; or (3) a township with a total population more than 20000, where the proportion of the nonagricultural population to the total population of the location of a township government is greater than 10%; or (4) a remote area, mountainous areasmall-sized mining areasmall harbortourism areaor border area with nonagricultural population less than 2000

Birth Rate or (Crude Birth Rate) refers to the ratio of the number of births to the average population during a certain period of timeusually a year), which is often expressed inThe following formula is used

Birth RateNumber of Births / Average Number of Population1000

Number of births refers to live birthsi.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 midyear population

Death Rateor Crude Death Rate refers to the ratio of the number of deaths to the average populationor midyear populationduring a certain period of timeusually a year), which is often expressed inThe following formula is used

Death RateNumber of Deaths / Annual Average Number of Population1000

Natural Growth Rate of Population refers to the ratio of natural increase in populationnumber of births minus number of deathsin a certain period of timeusually a yearto the average populationor midyear populationof the same periodwhich is often expressed inThe following formulas are applied

Natural Growth of Population(Number of BirthsNumber of Deaths) / Average Number of Population1000

Natural Growth Rate of PopulationBirth RateDeath Rate

Employed Population  refers to population aged 15 or over engaging in social labour which generates income

Unemployed Population  refers to population aged 15 or over not engaging in any social labour which generates incomeincluding students enrolled in schoolshouse wivesstudents waiting for entering schools with higher levelurban job seekersretireesjob quittersdisabledetc

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

Total Dependency RatioNumber of dependents/Population aged 15-64100

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

The Aged Dependency RatioNumber 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 15-64the juvenile and children being population aged 0-14. The juvenile and children dependency ratio is calculated as follows

The Juvenile and Children Dependency RatioNumber of juvenile and children/ Population aged 15-64 *100%