Since reform and opening up the urbanization of China has increased rapidly, with the number of cities in China reaching 655 by the end of 2007, an increase of 462 compared to 1978, according to a report released today by the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS). The number of cities at prefecture-level and above has increased from 111 in 1978 to 287 in 2007.
Statistics show that in 2007, the number of Chinese cities with a municipal district population (excluding municipal counties) of over two million reached 36, 26 more than in 1978; the number of cities with a population between one million and two million was 83, an increase of 64. In 2007, the population in Chinese cities and towns (those residing in cities and towns for half a year or longer) reached 593.79 million, making up 44.9% of the country’s total population, an increase of 27% compared to 1978.
The NBS report also indicates that in 2007, the GDP of cities at prefecture level and above (excluding municipal counties) was 15.7011 trillion yuan, accounting for 63% of China’s total GDP, up from 36% in 1990.
