23-6    Main Indicators of Population
Item	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
Mid-year Population  (10 000 persons)	648.9	654.4	660.7	666.5	672.5
Crude Birth Rate                 (‰)	9.1	8.1	7.8	8.1	7.2
Crude Death Rate                 (‰)	4.9	5.0	5.0	5.1	5.0
Infant Mortality Rate            (‰)	3.9	3.2	3.1	3.0	2.6
Rate of Natural Increase         (‰)	4.2	3.1	2.7	3.1	2.2
Total Fertility Rate①②	1095	990	965	1024	927
Registered Marriages         (couple)	37593	31673	31287	30879	32825
Divorce Decrees              (couple)	10492	13129	13408	13247	13425
Expectation of Life at Birth③(years)
Male	77.2	77.4	77.7	78.0	78.4
Female	83.2	83.0	83.2	83.9	84.6
Notes:①Per 1000 women aged 15-49.
②These figures have been compiled using a population denominator which has excluded female foreign domestic helpers.
③Figures for 1997 to 2000 presented in this table may be different from those presented in the 2001 edition of  this Yearbook. The change is
due to some enhancements made to the method of compiling expectation of life at birth.
③These figures have been compiled using a population denominator which has excluded female foreign domestic helpers.