Qingdao's permanent population over the past 10 years has grown 15.57 percent from 8.72 million to 10.07 million, accounting for 9.92 percent of Shandong province's total, according to the results of the seventh census by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2020, local media reported.

The eastern coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province [Photo/VCG]

According to the census data, the sex ratio of the permanent population in Qingdao was 103.9 percent, 2.32 percentage points higher than in 2020 (101.58 percent).

The improvement in education level of the population has been encouraging. The average years of education in Qingdao hit 10.83 years, 1.08 years higher than the province's figure. The number of people holding bachelor's degrees or higher per 100,000 people reached 22,551 in 2020.

The data also revealed an aging trend, as the proportion of the population aged 65 or above in Qingdao was 14.2 percent, 3.94 percentage points higher than in 2010 (10.26 percent) and 0.93 percentage points lower than Shandong's figure.

The population has always been an overarching and strategic issue, as it is the core resource in promoting economic and social development and the strategic foundation in enhancing urban competitiveness, said local officials.

Having a one-trillion-yuan ($154 billion) GDP is a target pursued by many cities, said Qingdao authorities. The GDP of Qingdao was 1.24 trillion yuan in 2020, an increase of 3.7 percent over the previous year.

The total population of Qingdao ranked second in the province, one place higher compared with 2010, as the city has witnessed a rapid inflow of talent and urban district expansion in recent years driven by its burgeoning economy.

According to the city's outline for the 14th Five Year Plan (2021-25), Qingdao will continue to promote population growth and its permanent resident population is expected to reach 11 million by 2025.