BEIJING, July 17 -- Beijing will cap its population at 21.77 million by the end of this year, part of an effort to cure "urban ills," local government said Friday.

During a meeting about the city's economic situation, mayor Wang Anshun said the city government will improve its management to ease problems in population, traffic congestion, and pollution.

The population of Beijing reached 21.516 million by the end of 2014. The large population has put pressure on water supply, air conditions, traffic and city ecology.

According to a guideline on coordinated development for Beijing, Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province approved by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in April, Beijing will limit its population at 23 million by 2020.