Chinese Population and Density

China is the most populous country in the world. At the end of 2001, there were 1.27627 billion people, one fifth of the world's total population, living in mainland China. This figure does not include the population of Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, and Taiwan Province. The population density is high, but unevenly distributed. The average density is 130 people per square kilometer. Along the densely populated east coast there are more than 400 people per sq. km; in the central areas, over 200 per sq. km; and in the sparsely populated plateaus in the west there are less than 10 people per sq km.

The following table gives an overall view of the composition of the population of China:

Composition of Population (%)
Gender
Male 51.63
Female 48.37

Region
Cities and towns 36.22
Countryside 63.78

Age
Below 14 years old 22.89
15-64 years old 70.15
Above 65 years old 6.96