The number of local residents over the age of 60 years topped 2.61 million by 2004, an increase of more than 60,000 from the year before, the Shanghai Research Center on Aging under the Civil Affairs Bureau revealed yesterday.

The aged population accounts for 19.28 percent of the city's total registered residents of 13.52 million, 0.3 percent higher than in 2003. When migrant workers are included, the city is home to more than 20 million people.

"There has been no evident acceleration in the growth of the local senior population since 2000," said Gui Shixun, the center's vice director.

He said the rate will be steady for another two years, but quicken to about 87,000 in 2007 and up to 130,000 in 2010.

The city's elderly population will explode after 2010, 10 years earlier than other parts of the country, he said.

From then on, 170,000 locals each year will join the age group over 60, he said.

"But such rapid growth will slow down gradually from 2020," Gui said. "And the total number of local seniors will begin decreasing from 2030."

As of the end of 2004, there were 407,000 locals above 80, accounting for 3.01 percent of the registered population and 15.61 percent of those over 60.

In 2003, however, this age group accounted for 14.77 percent of those over 60.

Altogether 548 local residents were more than 100 years old at the end of last year, up 94 from 2003. Lu Jianping, a woman born on February 16, 1894, is the city's oldest resident alive.

(Shanghai Daily April 8, 2005)