Page
last modified 18 August 2023
62) China
Community
Area 9,596,961 square kilometres (land area 9,326,410 square kilometres)
Population,
60,000,000 (2 AD)*
52,900,000 (754)**
50,000,000 (1000)
100,000,000 (1200)
60,000,000 (1280)***
80,000,000 (1300)
120,000,000 (1600)
150,000,000 (1700)
225,000,000 (1750)
320,000,000 (1800)
360,279,897 (1812)
382,078,860 (1890)
407,321,200 (1902)
420,804,000 (1936)
562,500,000 (1950)
601,938,035 (1953)
700,000,000 (21.7%) (1961)
863,000,000 (22.5%) (1972)
1,008,175,288 (22.4%) (1982)
1,130,510,638 (21.7%) (1991)
1,242,616,226 (20.7%) (2000)
1,338,200,000 (2010)
1,402,000,000 (2020)
*Based on tax registers � population was probably higher than this. By 280 AD the official population based on tax registers was only 16,200,000, suggesting that central government rule was breaking down.
**Rebellions around 760 reduced the official figure to just 16,900,000 in 764.
***Losses due to ongoing military
campaigns against the Mongols.
One Child Policy
In 1979 China instituted a �one child� policy, aimed at curbing population growth; fertility rates had already fallen dramatically through the 1970s.� The one-child rule was widely flouted and in 1988 the target population for the year 2000 of 1,200 million was revised upwards to 1,270 million.� In 1988 a concession was made whereby peasant couples were allowed a second child after four years if the first was a girl; in 1999 the one-child policy was further relaxed.� This was a measure to combat female infanticide, tackle possible future social unrest caused by an excess of unmarried young men, and deal with a future economic burden of a large proportion of retired people.� By 2007 China had 90 million only children, and a sex ratio of 119 boys born for every 100 girls By 2020 it was predicted that 30 million young Chinese men would fail to find a partner, with 45% of� young Chinese women saying they would not get married if that entailed giving up their careers.
Ethnicity and Religion, %. China is officially atheist.� The Communist Chinese Government has stated that 90% of its population has no religion (2010).
|
|
Han |
Buddhist |
Christian |
Confucian & Daoist |
Muslim |
No religion |
|
1900 |
|
12.7 |
0.4 |
|
5.1 |
0.0 |
|
1936 |
99.6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1970 |
94.0 |
6.6 |
0.3 |
|
2.6 |
52.6 |
|
1980 |
93.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1990 |
|
15.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
2000 |
|
|
3.5 |
20.0 |
1.6 |
52.0 |
|
2014 |
91.0 |
16.0 |
2.0 |
|
1.0 |
74.0 |
Birth and death rates Below replacement rate = 2.1
|
|
Fertility Rate |
Birth Rate |
Infant Mortality |
Death Rate |
% Aged Under 15 |
% Aged Over 65 |
% Urban |
|
1952 |
6.2 |
44.0 (+19.0) |
195.0 |
25.0 |
33.5 |
4.5 |
11.0 |
|
1960 |
6.0 |
38.0 (+12.6) |
127.7 |
25.4* |
39.6 |
3.7 |
16.2 |
|
1970 |
5.9 |
31.0 (+23.4) |
80.0 |
7.6 |
40.4 |
3.8 |
17.4 |
|
1980 |
2.6 |
18.0 (+11.7) |
48.0 |
6.3 |
35.7 |
4.7 |
19.4 |
|
1990 |
2.3 |
21.0 (+14.3) |
42.1 |
6.7 |
28.7 |
5.7 |
26.4 |
|
2000 |
1.7 |
14.0 (+7.5) |
30.1 |
6.5 |
24.8 |
6.9 |
35.9 |
|
2010 |
1.6 |
12.3 (+5.4) |
13.6 |
7.1 |
18.6 |
8.1 |
49.2 |
|
2015 |
1.6 |
12.1 (+5.0) |
9.2 |
7.1 |
18.0 |
9.3 |
55.6 |
|
2017 |
1.7 |
12.4 (+5.3) |
7.9 |
7.1 |
|
|
|
|
2018 |
|
10.9 |
7.4 |
|
|
10.9 |
59.2 |
|
2019 |
|
10.5 |
|
|
17.9 |
|
|
*China was suffering from a severe
famine at this time
Life expectancy,
40.8 (1950); 39.0 (M), 42.0 (F)
43.8 (1960); 42.4 (M), 45.2 (F)
59.1 (1970); 57.3 (M), 60.9 (F)
66.8 (1980); 65.4 (M), 68.3 (F)
69.3 (1990); 67.7 (M), 71.0 (F)
72.0 (2000); 70.4 (M), 73.7 (F)
75.3 (2010); 73.8 (M), 76.8 (F)
77.0 (2020); 74.8 (M), 79.3 (F)
Population of principal cities, MA = Metropolitan Area
|
|
BEIJING1 |
Chongqing |
Guangzhou2 (was, Canton) |
Harbin3 |
|
1400 |
320,000 |
|
|
|
|
1700 |
710,000 |
|
|
|
|
1800 |
|
|
800,000 |
|
|
1900 |
1,100,000 |
|
|
|
|
1911 |
|
|
|
40,500 |
|
1931 |
|
|
|
330,436 |
|
1936 |
1,556,364 |
|
861,024* |
|
|
1940 |
|
|
|
662,000 |
|
1945 |
|
1,037,630 |
1,115,000 |
900,000 |
|
1953 |
2,768,149 |
|
1,840,000 |
1,552,000 |
|
1960 |
4,140,000 |
2,121,000 |
|
1,800,000 |
|
1970 |
|
|
3,100,000 |
|
|
1983 |
5,670,000 |
|
3,170,000 |
2,560,000 |
|
1990 |
7,000,0000 |
|
3,500,000 |
2,800,000 |
|
1993 |
|
3,780,000 |
|
|
|
2000 |
11,510,000 |
|
8,520,000 |
3,480,000 |
|
2009 |
12,214,000 |
9,410,000 |
8,884,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
25,000,000 MA |
10,500,000 MA |
|
2015 |
24,900,00 MA |
17,000,000 MA |
11,000,000 |
|
*Guangzhou,
and Hong Kong, suffered a major outbreak of plague in 1904.
1In the 3rd century BC Beijing, then known as Chi, was chosen as the capital of the Yen Kingdom.� By 920 AD it was known as Yenking and was the capital of the Liao Dynasty.� In 1122 Yenking was invaded by the Mongol Golden Horde, and its commercial importance increased greatly.� In 1267 it became the Mongol capital of Kublai Khan, replacing Karakorum as the former capital; Beijing was then known as Khanbalik, or �city of the Khan�.� Beijing�s streets were laid out in a grid plan, like a Mongolian encampment.� Marco Polo visited the city in 1275, referring to it as �Cambaluc�. In 1378 the Ming Emperor transferred the Chinese capital to Nanjing (meaning �southern capital�); this lasted until 1421, when the capital was transferred back to Beijing (meaning �northern capital�).� The Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalists) took over Beijing in 1928, renaming it Peiping (�northern peace�); following the Communist takeover in 1949, the city reverted to the name of Beijing.�
2Guangzhou was known in the 3rd century as Nanai, meaning �South Sea�; by the 3rd century AD Canton was called Kwangtung.� The Opium Wars began here, and in 1911 Canton was the birthplace of the Kuomintang Movement, which overthrew the Chinese Emperor Dynasty and replaced it with a Presidency.� The Beijing to Canton railway opened in 1936.
3An industrial city in N E China, Harbin was developed by Russians after they were granted trading rights here in 1896.� In that year construction began on a rail link between Lake Baikal and Vladivostok, cutting across Chinese territory and saving 600 miles on the route through Russian territory. Further Russian immigration occurred after the Soviet Revolution of 1917.
Population of principal cities,
|
|
Shanghai4 |
Shenzhen5 |
Tianjin6 |
|
1860 |
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
1890 |
300,000 |
20,000 |
|
|
1901 |
700,000 |
|
|
|
1936 |
3,490,000 |
|
1,292,000 |
|
1945 |
3,726,757 |
|
|
|
1953 |
6,204,400 |
|
3,220,000 |
|
1960 |
7,200,000 |
|
3,500,000 |
|
1970 |
10,820,000 |
|
4,500,000 |
|
1983 |
|
|
5,220,000 |
|
1990 |
12,800,000 |
700,000 |
5,500,000 |
|
1994 |
|
|
10,400,000 MA |
|
2000 |
14,350,000 |
7,010,000 |
|
|
2009 |
16,575,000 |
9,005,000 |
|
|
2014 |
34,000,000 MA |
|
15,000,000 MA |
|
2016 |
|
23,300,000 MA |
|
4The city of Shanghai dates back at least as far as
the 11th century AD; however it remained just a small fishing port
until the 1800s.� In 1842, following the
Treaty of Nanking, Shanghai was opened up to foreign trade, and grew
rapidly.� Occupied by the Japanese from
1937 to 1945, Shanghai was captured by the Communists in 1949.
5A Special Economic Zone called Shenzhen was set up close to Hong Kong in 1980.� The Chinese Government arranges for people to spend a few years here learning business techniques; then they move back home and others take their place.
6Formerly known as Tientsin, Tianjin was a large fishing village until the mid-nineteenth century.� In 1858 it was captured by British and French forces, and in 1861 was opened up to international trade.�
Wealth; Gross Domestic Product (nominal values)
|
|
GDP, US$ million |
Total GDP, % of USA |
GDP per capita, US$ |
GDP per capita % of USA |
|
1960 |
59,716 |
10.99 |
90 |
2.99 |
|
1965 |
70,436 |
9.47 |
99 |
2.59 |
|
1970 |
92,602 |
8.91 |
113 |
2.15 |
|
1975 |
161,180 |
9.86 |
178 |
2.28 |
|
1980 |
301,510 |
10.79 |
306 |
2.43 |
|
1985 |
305,260 |
7.25 |
288 |
1.58 |
|
1990 |
387.770 |
0.01 |
339 |
1.42 |
|
1995 |
700,220 |
9.46 |
578 |
1.92 |
|
2000 |
1,079,840 |
10.84 |
959 |
2.63 |
|
2005 |
2,235,914 |
17.08 |
1,753 |
3.96 |
|
2010 |
6,100,000 |
40.76 |
4,560 |
9.43 |
|
2015 |
11,064,000 |
61.34 |
8,070 |
14.36 |
|
2016 |
11,230,000 |
60.48 |
8,123 |
14.14 |
GDP by primary sector
|
|
Agriculture % GDP |
Agriculture % employed |
Industry % GDP |
Industry % employed |
Services % GDP |
Services % employed |
|
1970 |
|
78.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
1980 |
|
69.0 |
|
19.0 |
|
12.0 |
|
1990 |
31.0 |
61.0 |
49.0 |
30.0 |
20.0 |
9.0 |
|
2000 |
15.4 |
50.0 |
51.5 |
23.0 |
33.5 |
27.0 |
|
2010 |
9.0 |
39.0 |
46.8 |
27.0 |
43.6 |
34.0 |
|
2015 |
|
28.8 |
|
29.3 |
|
42.4 |
|
2016 |
8.6 |
|
39.8 |
|
51.6 |
|
Communications
Language Official; Mandarin Chinese.
Literacy
43.0% (1960)
69.0% (1980)
74.0% (1985); 82.0% (M) 66.0% (F)
81.0% (1995); 90.0% (M), 73.0% (F)
93.3% (2000); 96.5% (M), 90.0% (F)
96.4% (2015); 98.2% (M), 94.5% (F)
Physical communications � roads
|
|
Roads (km) |
Surfaced (km) |
Motor vehicles |
Cars* |
Commercial Vehicles |
|
1930 |
|
|
|
18,000 |
|
|
1949 |
81,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
1959 |
|
|
|
30,000 |
180,000 |
|
1960 |
150,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
1961 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
300,000 |
|
1970 |
400,000 |
|
|
70,000 |
450,000 |
|
1976 |
|
|
|
|
1,044,000 |
|
1978 |
890,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
1980 |
910,000 |
|
|
750,000 |
|
|
1988 |
|
4,000,000 |
|
1,500,000 |
|
|
1990 |
980,000 |
|
5,540,000 |
|
3,500,000 |
|
2000 |
1,400,000 |
|
16,100,000 |
9,000,0000 |
7,000,000 |
|
2005 |
1,931,000 |
|
31,597,000 |
21,320,000 |
9,560,000 |
|
2008 |
|
|
50,996,000 |
38,000,000 |
|
|
2010 |
3,904,690 |
|
78,018,000 |
|
|
|
2013 |
|
|
126,701,000 |
|
|
|
2014 |
|
|
154,000,000 |
|
|
|
2015 |
4,577,300 |
4,046,300 |
172,000,000 |
|
|
|
2016 |
|
|
194,000,000 |
85,000,000 |
|
*Private car ownership in China was encouraged from 1994.
Railways; First railway in China opened 1876. This 14 km narrow-gauge line ran from the US concession in Zhabei District to Wushong, and was built without Chinese Government approval. The line was bought by the Government in 1877 and dismantled. Its route now forms part of Shanghai Metro Line 3. The first standard-gauge line in China was the 9.7 km Tangshan to Xugezhuang railway, opened in 1881. This line was for coal transport; it now forms part of the Beijing-Shenyang railway. The Beijing to Tianjin line opened in 1897.
Length, kilometres
|
|
Total length (km) |
High speed (km) |
% electrified |
|
1890 |
20 |
|
|
|
1900 |
2,347 |
|
|
|
1920 |
11,190 |
|
|
|
1930 |
18,900 |
|
|
|
1950 |
29,140* |
|
|
|
1960 |
34,000 |
|
|
|
1970 |
42,000 |
|
|
|
1980 |
53,300 |
|
2.8 |
|
1990 |
57,900 |
|
8.5 |
|
2000 |
68,500 |
|
23.4 |
|
2010 |
93,200 |
|
28.0 |
|
2017 |
124,000 |
22,000 |
64.5 |
*Only about half of this was in a useable condition.
Urban metro systems (length, km)
|
City (year opened) |
2005 |
2010 |
2012 |
2016 |
|
Beijing (1969) |
228.0 |
|
442.0 |
607.5 |
|
Chengdu (2010) |
|
18.5 |
|
179.4 |
|
Chonqqing (2005) |
|
19.1 |
|
264.7 |
|
Dalian (2003) |
|
63.0 |
|
150.4 |
|
Foshan (2010) |
|
20.4 |
|
34.4 |
|
Guangzhou (1999) |
|
176.6 |
232.0 |
241.7 |
|
Kunming (2012) |
|
|
18.1 |
87.2 |
|
Nanjing (2005) |
|
85.0 |
|
347.0 |
|
Shanghai (1993) |
|
423.0 |
|
637.0 |
|
Shenyang (2010) |
|
22.0 |
|
55.2 |
|
Shenzhen (2004) |
|
25.2 |
|
286.2 |
|
Suzhou (2012) |
|
|
25.7 |
118.9 |
|
Tianjin (1984) |
|
31.6 |
|
162.9 |
|
Wuhan (2004) |
|
27.9 |
|
237.0 |
|
Xian (2011) |
|
|
20.5 |
91.0 |
Electronic communications, TV broadcasts began 1958 (colour
from 1971)
|
|
Telephones (landlines) |
Mobile Telephones |
Radios |
Televisions |
PCs |
Internet Users |
|
1938 |
|
|
500,000 |
|
|
|
|
1939 |
160,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1950 |
225,000 |
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
1951 |
255,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1960 |
|
|
7,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
1961 |
|
|
|
20,000 |
|
|
|
1975 |
1,692,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1977 |
|
|
|
1,000,000 |
|
|
|
1978 |
|
|
45,000,000 |
|
|
|
|
1980 |
2,140,700 |
|
|
9,000,000 |
|
|
|
1987 |
|
700 |
|
|
|
|
|
1988 |
|
|
|
|
300,000 |
|
|
1990 |
6,850,300 |
18,300 |
372,870,000 |
300,000,000 |
500,000 |
|
|
1995 |
|
3,630,000 |
408,000,000 |
374,400,000 |
2,800,000 |
|
|
1997 |
|
|
|
|
|
400,000 |
|
1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
1,500,000 |
|
2000 |
144,829,000 |
85,260,000 |
428,000,000 |
370,000,000 |
20,6000,000 |
|
|
2002 |
|
|
|
454,000,000 |
|
59,100,000 |
|
2005 |
|
393,428,000 |
|
|
62,000,000 |
90,000,000 |
|
2010 |
|
859,000,000 |
|
|
160,000,000 |
420,000,000 |
|
2011 |
|
|
|
|
|
513,000,000 |
|
2012 |
278,860,000 |
|
|
|
400,000,000 |
|
|
2013 |
|
|
|
|
|
591,000,000 |
|
2014 |
|
|
|
|
|
632,000,000 |
|
2016 |
206,624,000 |
1,364,000,000 |
|
|
|
730,724,000 |
Tourism: Visitors to China,
530,000 (1978)
3,000,000 (1985)
10,484,000 (1990)
20,034,000 (1995)
31,229,000 (2000)
46,809,000 (2005)
55,664,000 (2010)
56,886,000 (2015)