Taipei  - Twenty-three per cent of Taiwan's city children have considered suicide due to school pressure and family problems, a survey showed.

The Child Welfare League Foundation surveyed 1,547 primary school pupils across Taiwan to find out the difference between life in cities and the countryside.

The pupils surveyed were from the third and sixth grades, aged 10-13.

It found that while pupils in rural areas have fewer material goods than their city peers, they are better off mentally.

The poll showed that among city pupils, 23 per cent have thought about committing suicide, and 38 per cent think that "the world would be the same without me."

This compares to 11 per cent of kids in rural areas who have thought about ending their lives and 28.8 per cent who think "the world would be the same without me."

"This shows that city kids are more pessimistic and their mental health needs to be taken care of," Wang Yu-min, director of the foundation, said.

About 4,000 people commit suicide in Taiwan every year, averaging almost one death every two hours, according to the Department of Health. (dpa)