China is the most populous country in the world. Its population, including residents in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, totals around 1.32 billion, which makes up more than one-fifth of the world's total. China, having an average population density of 135 people per square km, is one of the most densely populated countries, though inhabitants are unevenly distributed, with more in the east than in the west and more in rural areas than in urban areas. In the face of rapid population growth, China has practiced family planning since the late 1970s to control population growth. As a result, the birth rate has declined on an annual basis. The life expectancy of the Chinese people has increased to 71.4 years, with that for men being 69.63 years and women 73.33 years. It is five years longer than the world average level and seven years longer than that of developing countries and regions, but five years shorter compared with that of developed countries and regions.

China's natural population growth continued to decline in 2003. At the end of the year, the population on China's mainland totaled 1,292.27 million. There were 523.76 million urban residents, accounting for 40.53 percent of the total population, and 768.51 million rural residents, making up 59.47 percent. Of the total population, 665.56 million were males, while 626.71 million were females. People in the age group of 0-14 constituted 22.1 percent; those in the age group of 15-64, 70.4 percent; and people aged 65 and over, 7.5 percent. The number of elderly people reached 96.92 million. The year 2003 saw 15.99 million newborns nationwide, representing a birth rate of 12.41 per thousand, and 8.25 million deaths, a mortality rate of 6.4 per thousand. The year's net population growth stood at 7.74 million people, a natural growth rate of 6.01 per thousand.

The family planning policy has seen remarkable achievements. For instance, Shanghai, the largest Chinese city, has witnessed negative population growth for 10 consecutive years. In 2003, the city's birth rate was 4.26 per thousand and its natural population growth was -3.29 per thousand.