With a population of over 1.3 billion, the PRC is very concerned about its population growth and has attempted, with mixed results, to implement a strict family planning policy. The government’s goal is one child per family, with exceptions for ethnic minorities and flexibility in rural areas. The government’s goal is to stabilize population growth early in the 21st century, though some projections estimate a population of anywhere ranging from 1.4 billion to 1.6 billion by 2025.
| City | Metro Area Population | Administrative Area Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | 17,000,000 | 18,884,600 | |
| Beijing | 13,200,000 | 17,430,000 | |
| Guangzhou | 12,000,000 | 15,000,000 | |
| Shenzhen | 8,615,000 | 13,300,000 | |
| Tianjin | 8,200,000 | 11,950,000 | |
| Chongqing | 7,500,000 | 32,353,200 | |
| Hong Kong | 7,055,071 | 7,055,071 | |
| Dongguan | 6,950,000 | 8,300,000 | |
| Nanjing | 6,800,000 | 7,588,900 | |
| Wuhan | 6,600,000 | 8,970,000 | |
| Hangzhou | 6,300,000 | 7,966,000 | |
| Shenyang | 5,060,000 | 7,500,000 | |
| Harbin | 4,750,000 | 9,873,742 | |
| Chengdu | 4,750,000 | 11,300,000 | |
| Hefei | 4,650,000 | 10,100,000 | |
| Zhengzhou | 4,360,000 | 7,500,000 | |
| Jinan | 4,000,000 | 6,300,000 | |
| Qingdao | 3,800,000 | 8,000,000 | |
| Xi’an | 3,800,000 | 10,500,000 | |
| Nanchang | 3,790,000 | 4,990,184 |
