Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin are the top-three fastest-developing cities in China, according to an annual ranking by the China International Urbanization Development Strategy Research Committee, developed to illustrate the rate of China’s urbanization.
The cities are evaluated on a comprehensive assessment basis including the size of the economy, number of employees, fixed assets investment, gross output of industrial enterprises, per capita GDP, population urbanization, added value of the first, second and third industries, disposable income of the urban population, eco-environment, location and infrastructure, endowment insurance engagement, new job opportunities, dwelling space per capita and scientific research.
China’s top 10 fast-developing cities in 2009 are as follows:
The growth of China’s cities in the past 30 years has been dramatic. By the end of 2008, China’s urban population had surpassed 600 million for the first time, with urbanization level reaching 45.7%, according to the “2008 China’s Urbanization Report” compiled and edited by the China Association of Mayors. The report found that in 2008, China had a total urban population of 606.67 million.
According to statistics regarding the non-agricultural population living in urban areas, the number of cities with a population of more than 2 million people nationwide was 23, cities with populations between 1 million to 2 million people was 35, cities with population between 500,000 to 1 million people stands at 82, cities with population between 200,000 to 500,000 people was 233, and there were a total of 282 cities with a non-agricultural population of less than 200,000 people living in urban areas.
A United Nations report on urbanization supported findings about China’s rapid urbanization, and predicted that in less than a decade, more than half of the Chinese population will be city dwellers.
via China’s top 10 fast-developing cities in 2009 – China.org.cn.
