Beijing population nears 20M

京常住人口迫近2000万

Beijing's population reached 19.72m at the end of 2009, with the number growing by over 3% in the past 2 years, the Beijing Evening News reported. Among the population, 12.46m have "hukou" (permanent residence) and 7.638m do not. The rapid growth results mainly from the migrant population that has been pouring into the city in recent years. Experts say the surging migrant population compensates for the city's lack of labor but also brings huge pressures on the environment and public services.

据《北京晚报》报道，2009年末北京市实际常住人口总数已达1972万，在过去的2年中年均增长均超过3%。其中户籍人口1246万人，登记流动人口763.8万人。北京市人口快速增长的主要拉动力来自流动人口。专家称流动人口大量涌入北京弥补了本市劳动力的不足，但也给环境和公共服务造成巨大的压力。

*以上新闻由ChinaDaily双语手机报提供