According to a recent survey by the Shanghai Statistics Bureau, 80 percent of the city's residents are satisfied with their life in the past five years.

The survey, the largest in recent years, was conducted by the bureau's urban survey team. The team went door to door to gather basic information such as residents' living conditions, health and family structures. They got 3,000 samples spread over 19 Shanghai districts and counties.

Almost 32 percent of those surveyed said the quality of their lives has improved by a large margin over the past five years. Another 50 percent said it has remained at the same level.

Residents are also positive about their residential conditions, with 31 percent saying that it's getting better and another nearly60 percent surveyed saying it's almost the same as before.

In addition, 87.6 percent of surveyed felt they are healthy, while 9.9 percent said they suffered from diseases. Of the total, 97.7 percent those 20 to 40 think they are healthy, 90.8 percent of those at age of 40-60, and 75 percent of those over 60.

More than 60 percent of those surveyed said their social status had improved to some extent.

(eastday.com February 11, 2005)