1. Name: Shandong Province
2. Areas: 156.7 thousand km²
3. Population: 87.85 million (by the end of 1997)
4. Provincial Capital: Jinan City
5. Geography: Shandong Province is along China’s eastern coast and is in the lower Yellow River area. It is between Huabei area and Huadong area. Shandong¢ s location is between 34° 23¢ N~38° 24¢ N and 114.48° 48¢ E~122° 42¢ E, and has a temperate half-moist climate. It neighbors on Hebei, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, is a communication hub on China’s coastline.
6. Natural Resources: 65% of the province¢ s land are plains and low-lying land, and 35% are mountainous or hilly land. The area of natural lakes are 1500 km², and the forest cover is 20%. There are a few thousand types of utilizable organisms in Shandong. Its marine resources are very rich. It is one of the country¢ s major bases of energy resource. 128 types of minerals have already been found and 30 types are in the important positions in China. Such as gold, natural sulfur and gypsum, which are the 1^st in China; oil, diamond and magnesite, which are 2^nd; also 20 types including coal, natural gas and iron ore, which are the tenth.
7. Economy: In 1997, the gross domestic product of Shandong was 665 billion yuan, and the per capita gross domestic product was 7,590 yuan. The total imports and exports were 17.44 billion US dollars; total provincial government revenue was 30.442 billion yuan; yield of grain 38.522 million tons, per capita yield of grain was 440 kg. Agriculture makes very important contribution to the provincial economy, the percentage of reclaim and cultivate wasteland is 60%. The main industrial crops are cotton, peanuts, tobacco and flax; and the sideline productions are mainly weaving, wild plant and herb collection；the offshore is teem with fish and crabs and kelp, it is one of China’s major sea fisheries.
8. People’s Life: In 1997, the total wages of staff and workers was 58050 million yuan. The per capita net income of rural residence was 2292 yuan. The average wage of staff and workers was 6241 yuan, and the per capita annual disposable income of urban households was 5190.8 yuan. The average household consumption was 2714 yuan. The per capita living floor space was 12.7 m² for urban areas and 23.16 m² for rural areas. The outstanding amount of savings deposit in urban and rural areas by the end of the year was 326.111 billion yuan, and the per capita outstanding amount of savings deposit was 3712.09 yuan. The number of hospital beds per 10,000 persons was 23.5, and number of doctors per 10,000 persons was 15.16.
9. Education: Since the reform in 1979, the development of Shandong¢ s higher education institution became faster, the structure of middle schools were rearranged, and the quality of education was made the key of reform. By the end of 1997, there were 18 higher education institutions in Shandong Province, with number of student enrolment 175,920 and teachers 20,414; 252 specialized secondary schools with number of student enrolment 311,161 and teachers 20,291; 37,377 primary schools with number of student enrolment 9,901,922 and teachers 434,671.

The total population of Shandong province in 1997 was 87.85 million, which was the 2^nd of China, only less than Henan province. There were much more population in the west and south. The population density in inland area increased faster than in coastal area; this trend leads to greater imbalance of population distribution between inland and coastal areas.

Since the founding of People’s Republic of China, the process of population development in Shandong has obvious period feature and the development of every period are different.

1949~1958 was the period of fast increase of total population with an annual rate of 1.97%.

1959~1961 was the period of negative growth of total population with annual rate of –0.99%.

1962~1972 was the period of total population fast increase with an annual rate of 2.19%. This period was the 2^nd peak of population growth.

1973~1990, the speed of increase slowed down to annual rate 1.34%, stepped into the 3^rd peak of population growth.

The pattern of population reproduction experienced a transition from tradition to transition, and then, modern pattern.

From 1^st National Census to 4^th National Census (1953~1990), the sex ratio of Shandong province increased gradually. Today, it is about 103. The age distribution changed from young in the 50¢ s and 60¢ s, to adult in the 80¢ s, and toward old in 90¢ s. In 1997, population of age 0~14 made 23.27% of the total; 15~64 population made 68.67%; and population of age 65 and above made 7.86% of the total.

Since 1949, women¢ s fertility declined greatly. The total fertility rate decreased from 5.43 in the 50¢ s to below replacement level in the 90¢ s. The birth rate of Shandong was 11.28‰, and natural increase rate was 4.63‰ in 1997. According to population projections in 4 scenarios, the population of Shandong will still increase in following 30 years, but it is possible that the total population will not go beyond 100 million.

Since 1949, the mortality change of Shandong experienced 5 period: high mortality period; abnormal rise period; quick decrease period; gradual decrease period and low mortality period. The curve of mortality changed from U-shaped to J-shaped pattern. The mortality is different between rural and urban. In general, the mortality of rural area is higher than urban area. The proportion of the death in low age group decreased; it increased in high age group. The median age of death population becomes older and death population of male is more than female.

Shandong¢ s life expectancy became longer gradually with an annual increase rate of 1.6 years and it went beyond 70 years old in the 90¢ s.

In Shandong province, marriage is stable; divorce rate is very low. The mode age of married population tend to be older since the 80¢ s. Remarriage rate of divorced male is lower than divorced female.

The number of family household increases quickly. The size of family household decreases while the number of household increases; smaller family took larger family¢ s place. Family size is larger in remote region and less-developed areas than in urban and developed areas.

Population aging of Shandong province started when Shandong was less developed and population growth has not been controlled completely. Family planning policy had a great effect on population aging. Different areas stepped into aging in different time.

Shandong¢ s population aged speedily, but aging level is low. In 1990, population of age 60 and above made 9.43% of the total. According to projection, the process of aging is slow in 1990~2013, very fast in 2014~2038, and stable in 2039~2090. In the future, aging level of Shandong will be lower than developed countries in the world; the speed of aging will be faster than some developed countries; the period of adult population is very short; the dependency ratio will be low before 2030.

Education level of Shandong population has improved greatly and illiterate rate has decreased since reform. In 1990, illiterate rate of age 15 and older was 23.01%. The average year of schooling increased. The education level of employed population improved very much. In Shandong, the education level distribution is less satisfactory; industrial workers’ education level do not meet the demand of modern production; the education level of different regions is different, urban higher than rural; the difference of education level between regions is enlarging.

Shandong changed to a net in-migration province from a net out-migration province after reform, because the pulling of social-economic improvements of Shandong. The migration size of Shandong province will enlarge in the future; people will migrate mainly from rural to urban; the proportion of migration that caused by marriage will decrease.

Because of large population of Shandong Province, resource per capita is in inferior position. The land of Shandong degenerates greatly, and quality of land descends. Floods threaten the two river areas; land of coastal areas is weathered gravely by seawater. Though environment problems have been take care of at some extent, water pollution, air pollution and noise pollution are still very serious; and daily garbage leads to some pollution, too.

1. Period of Family Planning Preparing (1956~1961)

The work of fertility regulation started in March of 1953. On July of 1957, the Fertility Control Committee of Shandong Province was founded. There were Publicity and Education Group, Organization and Promotion Group, and Research Group under the Committee. Maternal and Child Health Department was in charge of the daily work of fertility regulation. In 1959~1961, the regular work of fertility regulation discontinued.

2. Period of Family Planning Initiation(1962~1969)

In February of 1962, Fertility Control Committee was renamed as Provincial Family Planning Commission. In 1963, Family Planning Office under the Commission was established; similar organizations were setup in local government; some family planning regulations were issued; fertility regulation work developed at certain degree. In February of 1964, Maternal and Child Health Care Station was founded in each of 9 special districts. In this Period, the work of family planning put emphasis on rural areas. Publicity methods adopted were general education and specific education combined, lectures and real examples were given during education, ideology and problem-solving combined, education took place in both work units and in society. The family planning work was interrupted again by “Cultural Revolution” in 1966.

3. Period of Carrying Out Family Planning on a Large Scale (1970~1978).

The population growth control has been put into national economy and social development plan from the beginning of 4^th “5 Year Plan”. The family planning was implemented in organization, policy, and technical practice. Family planning publicity carried out deeply. In 1976, family planning education was made a part of Party School and Middle School courses.

4. Period of carrying out in a deep-going way (1978~ )

Shandong revised and perfected family planning regulations; published Regulation of Family Planing and put it into practice; put toward “three emphasis”; strengthened the management of family planning technology and research work; organized international exchange and cooperation.

1. The speed of population growth has been under control. The annual increase rate of Shandong population is 1.42%, 0.38 percentage point lower than national average. The birth rate has been decreased from 31.7‰ in the 50¢ s to 11.28‰ in 1997.

2. The pattern of population reproduction changed. The pattern of population reproduction has been changed greatly because birth rate has been decreased greatly. The population in Shandong started to become an adult population. Population reproduction has changed from high fertility, low mortality, and high natural increase in 50¢ s to low fertility, low mortality, and low natural increase.

3. The social-economic effectiveness improved. People¢ s ideas of marriage and fertility have been changed with the publicity and education of family planning. The new idea that “later marriage, and later, fewer and healthier births” is forming. Annual investment in family planning is 55.62 million yuan in average. The social economic effectiveness of fertility regulation improves. Employment problem, housing problem, traffic problem and education problem has been alleviated because the family planning work develops deeply and population increase is under control.

4. The international exchange and cooperation are promoted. From 1980, the Provincial Government and Family Planning Commission organized experience and technology exchange and cooperative activity with international organizations and other countries. There were 4 international projects carried out in Shandong from 1983 to 1993, which improved family planning work within the province.

1. “China¢ s Population Across the Century (Shandong)”, China Statistics Press, 1994
2. Wu Yulin edt. “Population of China (Shandong)”, China Finance and Economy Press, 1989
3. Peng Peiyun edt. “China¢ s Family Planning”, China Population Press, 1997
4. “China¢ s Population of 97”, edited by Population, Society, and Science Department of State Statistical Bureau, China Statistical Publishing House, 1998

1. “Shandong Statistical Yearbook (1998)”, China Statistical Publishing House, 1998
2. “Collection of Maps by Province of China”, China Map Press, 1999
3. “China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook (1995)”, edited by Editorial Committee of China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook, 1995
4. “China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook (1996)”, edited by Editorial Committee of China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook, 1996
5. “China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook (1997)”, edited by Editorial Committee of China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook, 1997
6. “China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook (1998)”, edited by Editorial Committee of China¢ s Family Planning Yearbook, 1998