Shanghai permanent population reached 17.78 million by November 1, growing 8.35 percent from 2000, among which 4.38 million are migrants and foreigners who have lived in the city for more than six months, the Shanghai Statistics Bureau said today.

There were about 123,900 births in the city last year, and about 107,000 people deaths.

The female to male ratio is almost equal at 100: 100.90

The 270,000 increase in population every year, mainly coming from migrants and foreigners, is acceptable for Shanghai, said Sun Changmin, vice director of the Shanghai Population and Family Planning Commission.

According to the 11th Five Year Plan, the city's population is expected to reach 19 million by 2010.

The bureau conducted a study on 1 percent of the local population in an effort to measure changes in the city's population, structure, living conditions and future trends.

The study was conducted on figures from the last national census five years ago. The State Council ordered every province and municipality in the country to conduct the survey, a routine procedure in the interval between the nationwide census which is conducted every 10 years.

(Shanghai Daily March 17, 2006)