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 midnight, the 3lst of December.

Birth Rate (or Crude Birth Rate)   refers to the ratio of the number of births to the average 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-year 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 average population (or mid-year 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

Resident Population   According to survey of population, it includes the following main items: 1) population with residence registered in this township or town (street) and reside in this area; 2) population with residence registered in other area, but having actually resided in this township or town (street) over half a year; 3) population with residence registered in other area and having resided in this townships or towns (streets) under half a year, but leaving the area where they registered residence over half a year; 4) population reside in this township or town (street), but haven’t registered residence temporarily.

Urban Population and Rural Population  Urban population refer to all people, while rural population refer to population other than urban population.

Statistics on urban and rural population over the years are compiled in line with the regulations of statistical classification on urban and rural population stipulated by the government, which were in effect at different times. 

Figures on urban/rural population for the years between the 3 censuses are adjusted in accordance with the 1990 and 2000 population census data.

Employees   refer to the persons aged 16 and over who are engaged in social working and receive remuneration payment or earn business income. This indicator reflects the actual utilization of total labor force during a certain period of time and is often used for the research on China's economic affairs and national power.

Staff and Workers   refer to persons working in, and receive payment from units of state ownership, collective ownership, joint ownership, share holding ownership, foreign ownership, and ownership by entrepreneurs from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and other types of ownership and their affiliated units(excluding private enterprises and owners of self-employed). They exclude: retirees; re-employed retirees; foreigners and persons from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who work in urban units; 8) other persons not to be included by relevant regulations. (Data of 1998 and afterward refer to fully employed staff and workers. Other related statistics such as total wage bill and average wage are adjusted since 1998 accordingly).

State-owned Units   refer to economic units whose assets are owned by the state. Included are non-corporation units registered according to Regulation of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration of Enterprises and Corporations, state organs, institutions and social organizations at the central and local levels.

Collective Units   refer to economic units registered according to Regulation of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration of Enterprises and Corporations where the means of production are collectively owned.

Total Wages of Bill   refers to total remuneration payment to staff and workers in various units during a certain period of time. The calculation of total wages is based on the total remuneration payment to the staff and workers. Therefore, all the wages and salaries and other payments to staff and workers are included in the total wage bill regardless of  sources, reckoning the cost of production or not, category, listing as items of premium taxation or not, and forms, paying in cash or in kind.

Average Earning   refers to average earning level in money terms per employee in the enterprise, institutions, and government agencies, which reflects the general level of wage income during a certain period of time and is calculated as follows:

Average Earning of Employees=Total Earning of Employees at Reference Period/Average Number of Employees at Reference Period

Earning refer to total remuneration payment to all employees in various units in urban areas(did not include urban private units and self-employed individuals) during a certain period of time, including staff and workers and other employee(i.e.,reemployed retirees or those who are from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan province or other countries).

Registered Unemployed Persons in Urban Areas  Refers to working-age (16 years old to retirement age), there is the ability to work, employment requirements, in the unemployed state and in the public employment service agencies registered unemployed resident of the town staff. Among them, the lack of employment experience of the urban household registration staff, the location of the residence registration; rural migrant workers and other non-local household registration officers and the stability of permanent employment in 6 months, and unemployment can be registered in the place of permanent residence.

Registered Unemployment Rate in Urban Areas   refers to the ratio of the number of the registered unemployed persons at the end of reference period to the sum of total employment and the number of the registered unemployed persons at the end of reference period. The formula is as follows:

Registered urban unemployment rate = number of registered urban unemployed persons at the end of reference period / (total employment+ number of registered urban unemployed persons at the end of reference period) × 100%