Shanghai's permanent resident population is expected to hit 18.45 million by the end of this year, the city's Population and Family Planning Committee said today.

The figure was 300,000 more than last year, the committee said.

The committee also said the city's natural growth rate among permanent residents will be 0.2 percent, a gain from last year's 0.158 percent.

(Shanghai Daily, December 6, 2007)