Population growth rate: Shanghai led China in achieving a negative population growth rate in 1993. In 2000, the birth rate was 5.3 per thousand while the death rate was 7.2 per thousand; the natural population growth rate was -1.9 per thousand.

Life expectancy (average): 78.77 years in 2000, 76.71 years for men and 80.8 years for women.

Ethnicity:

Shanghai is home to the Han people and 39 ethic minorities and a few unidentified ethnic groups. Minority ethnic population totals 53,000, accounting for 0.4 percent of the city's total population. The largest minority ethic group living in Shanghai is the Hui people, followed by the Manchu; those with the smallest population include the Va, Lahu, Maonan, Primi and Jing.

Literacy:

In 2000, Shanghai boasted 37 institutes of higher learning and advanced polytechnic schools which enrolled a total of 81,300 freshmen. The total number of registered students was 226,800. Also in 2000, 12,700 students were enrolled into graduate schools and 5,868 postgraduates graduated. Since the State Council promulgated the "Regulations on Awarding Academic Degrees'' in 1981, the city has granted doctoral degree to 8,386 candidates and master's degree to 48,600 candidates.

In Shanghai, 99 percent of the children at school age go to school, and 97 percent of the junior high school graduates can continue their schooling in high schools or secondary vocational schools.