Data from the latest national census showed that population in the age group of 60 and over accounted for 13.26 percent, up by 2.93 percentage points as compared with the 2000 population census, according to the census figures released on Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Population in the age group of 65 and over grew up by 1.91 percentage points as compared with the 2000 population census.
The change in the age composition of population is a reflection of great improvement in the standard of living and medical and health undertakings along with the fast economic and social development, the continued low level of fertility and the accelerated process of population aging.
Population in the age group of 0-14 accounted for 16.60 percent of the total population, down by 6.29 percentage points as compared with 2000 population census.
China's total population had grown to 1.3397 billion by 2010.