Form of government: single-party people's republic with one legislative house (National People's Congress [2,978]).
Chief of state: President.
Head of government: Premier.
Capital: Peking (Beijing).
Official language: Mandarin Chinese.
Official religion: none.
Monetary unit: 1 Renminbi (yuan) (Y)=10 jiao=100 fen;
valuation (Oct. 6, 1995) 1 U.S.$=Y 8.32; 1 
=Y 13.15.
Population (1995): 1,206,600,000.
Density (1995): persons per sq mi 326.5, persons per sq km 126.0.
Urban-rural (1993): urban 28.1%; rural 71.9%.
Sex distribution (1993): male 51.02%; female 48.98%.
Age breakdown (1990): under 15, 27.7%; 15-29, 31.0%; 30-44, 20.7%; 45-59, 12.0%; 60-74, 6.9%; 75 and over, 1.7%.
Population projection: (2000) 1,268,970,000; (2010) 1,371,580,000.
Doubling time: 63 years.
Ethnic composition (1990): Han (Chinese) 91.96%; Chuang 1.37%; Manchu 0.87%; Hui 0.76%; Miao 0.65%; Uighur 0.64%; Yi 0.58%; Tuchia 0.50%; Mongolian 0.42%; Tibetan 0.41%; Puyi 0.23%; Tung 0.22%; Yao 0.18%; Korean 0.17%; Pai 0.14%; Hani 0.11%; Kazakh 0.10%; Tai 0.09%; Li 0.09%; other 0.51%.
Religious affiliation (1980): nonreligious 59.2%; Chinese folk-religionist 20.1%; atheist 12.0%; Buddhist 6.0%; Muslim 2.4%; Christian 0.2%; other 0.1%.
Major cities (1990): Shanghai 7,496,509; Peking 5,769,607; Tientsin 4,574,689; Shen-yang 3,603,712; Wu-han 3,284,229; Canton 2,914,281; Harbin 2,443,398; Chungking (Chongqing) 2,266,772; Nanking 2,090,204; Sian 1,959,044; Ta-lien (Dalian) 1,723,302; Ch'eng-tu 1,713,255; Ch'ang-ch'un 1,679,270; T'ai-yüan 1,533,884; Tsinan 1,480,915; Ch'ing-tao (Qingdao) 1,459,195; An-shan (Anshan) 1,203,986; Fu-shun 1,202,388; Lan-chou 1,194,640; Cheng-chou 1,159,679; Tzu-po (Zibo) 1,138,074; K'un-ming 1,127,411.
Households (1993). Average rural household size 4.6; urban household size 3.4. Family households (1990): 277,390,000 (99.4%); collective 1,671,000 (0.6%).
Birth rate per 1,000 population (1994): 17.7 (world avg. 25.0).
Death rate per 1,000 population (1994): 6.5 (world avg. 9.3).
Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1994): 11.2 (world avg. 15.7).
Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1995): 2.0.
Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1993): 7.7.
Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1993): 0.8.
Life expectancy at birth (1992): male 69.1 years; female 72.4 years.
Major causes of death per 100,000 population (percentage distribution; 1993){1}: malignant neoplasms (cancers) 21.8%; diseases of the circulatory system 21.4%; diseases of the respiratory system 17.1%; diseases of the heart 14.7%; injuries and poisoning 6.7%; digestive diseases 3.7%.
Educational attainment (1990). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no schooling 29.3%; incomplete primary 34.3%; completed primary 34.4%; postsecondary 2.0%.
Quality of working life (1991). Average workweek: 48 hours. Annual rate per 100,000 workers for: injury or accident, n.a.; industrial illness, n.a.; death, n.a. Funds for pensions and social welfare relief (1993): Y 91,370,000,000. Average days lost to labour stoppages per 1,000 workdays: n.a. Average duration of journey to work: n.a. Method of transport: n.a. Rate per 1,000 workers of discouraged (unemployed no longer seeking work): n.a.
Access to services. Proportion of communes having access to electricity (1979) 87.1%. Percentage of urban population with: safe public water supply (1993) 93.1%; public sewage collection, n.a.; public fire protection, n.a.
Social participation. Eligible voters participating in last national election: n.a. Population participating in voluntary work: n.a. Trade union membership in total labour force (1991): 17.9%. Practicing religious population in total affiliated population: n.a.
Social deviance. Annual reported arrest rate per 100,000 population (1986) for: property violation 20.7; infringing personal rights 7.2; disruption of social administration 3.3; endangering public security{2} 1.0.
Leisure. Favourite leisure activities: n.a.
Material well-being (1993). Urban families possessing (number per family): bicycles 2.0; televisions 1.2; washing machines 0.9; sewing machines 0.7; cameras 0.3. Rural families possessing (number per family): bicycles 1.3; televisions 0.7.; sewing machines 0.6; cameras 0.1; washing machines 0.1.
Gross national product (at current market prices; 1993): U.S.$581,109,000,000 (U.S.$490 per capita).
Budget (1995). Revenue: Y 652,300,000,000 (taxes 81.8%; funds collected for energy and transport projects 6.9%). Expenditures: Y 806,100,000,000 (culture, education, and public health 12.0%; debt service 10.8%; capital construction 9.2%; defense 7.8%; government administration 6.2%; enterprise development 5.8%).
Public debt (external, outstanding; 1993): U.S.$70,024,000,000.
Tourism: receipts from visitors (1994) U.S.$7,323,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$812,000,000.
Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1993): grains--rice 187,211,000, wheat 105,005,000, corn (maize) 103,380,000, sorghum 5,605,000, millet 3,961,000, barley 3,700,000; oilseeds--soybeans 13,007,000, peanuts (groundnuts) 8,086,000, rapeseed 6,950,000, sunflower seeds 1,150,000; fruits and nuts--watermelons 6,570,000, apples 5,018,000, oranges 4,685,000, cantaloupes 3,384,000, walnuts 175,000; other--sweet potatoes 105,185,000, sugarcane 68,419,000, potatoes 35,050,000, sugar beets 12,100,000, seed cotton 11,280,000, cabbage 9,705,000, tomatoes 8,665,000, cucumbers 7,850,000, eggplants 5,220,000, garlic 4,783,000, onions 4,432,000, tobacco leaves 3,438,000, tea 619,000; livestock (number of live animals) 393,965,000 pigs, 109,720,000 sheep, 97,812,000 goats, 82,641,000 cattle, 22,217,000 water buffalo, 10,983,000 asses, 10,018,000 horses, 2,688,000,000 chickens, 430,000,000 ducks; roundwood (1992) 296,557,000 cu m; fish catch (1992) 15,007,450. Mining and quarrying (1993): metal concentrates--zinc 838,000, copper 690,000, lead 387,000, tin 43,000, tungsten 20,000; metal ores--iron ore 234,660,000, manganese ore 5,400,000, bauxite 2,900,000, silver 200, gold 160; nonmetals--salt 29,530,000, gypsum 11,500,000, phosphates 7,000,000, talc 2,700,000, fluorite 2,400,000, barite 1,800,000, graphite 310,000, asbestos 240,000. Manufacturing (1994): cement 405,000,000; rolled steel 80,036,000; chemical fertilizer 22,760,000; paper and paperboard 20,000,000; sulfuric acid 14,947,000; sugar 5,819,000; cotton yarn 4,700,000; cotton fabrics 20,000,000,000 m; cigarettes 34,213,000 cases; colour television sets 16,895,000 units; household washing machines 10,964,000 units; household refrigerators 7,645,000 units; motor vehicles 1,402,000 units. Construction (1993): residential 807,790,000 sq m; nonresidential 412,420,000 sq m. Distribution of industrial production (percentage of total value of output by sector; 1978 [1993]): state-operated enterprises 80.6% (43.1%); collectives 19.2% (38.4%); privately operated enterprises 0.2% (18.5%). Retail sales (percentage of total sales by sector; 1978 [1993]): state-operated enterprises 90.5% (39.7%); collectives 7.4% (26.3%); privately operated enterprises 2.1% (34.0%).
Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1992) 753,940,000,000 (758,920,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1992) 1,116,369,000 (1,090,809,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1992) 1,040,150,000 (963,056,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1992) 102,090,000 (106,770,000); natural gas (cu m; 1992) 15,753,000,000 (15,753,000,000).
Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1993) 4.2; rural household 4.6, urban household 3.3. Average annual income per household Y 6,805; rural household Y 6,122, urban household Y 8,550. Sources of income: rural household (1993)--income from household businesses 81.2%, wages 14.6%, other 4.2%; urban household (1993)--wages 78.0%, business income 18.6%, other 3.4%. Expenditure (1993): rural household--food 58.1%, housing 13.9%, cultural activities 7.6%, clothing 7.2%, household materials 5.8%, health 3.5%, transportation 2.3%; urban household--food 50.1%, clothing 14.2%, cultural activities 9.2%, household materials 8.8%, transportation 3.8%, health 2.7%, utilities 2.2%.
Population economically active (1987): total 584,569,200; activity rate of total population 54.7% (participation rates: over age 15, 76.8%; female 49.7%; unemployed 2.0%{3}). Urban workforce by sector of employment, 1978 (1993): state-run enterprises 74,500,000 (109,201,000); collectives 20,000,000 (33,930,000); self-employment or privately run enterprises 150,000 (53,570,000).
Land use (1992): forested 14.0%; meadows and pastures 42.9%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 10.3%; other 32.8%.
Imports (1993): U.S.$103,950,000,000 (machinery and transport equipment 43.3%; products of textile industries, rubber and metal products 27.5%; chemical and related products 9.3%; mineral fuels and lubricants 5.6%; inedible raw materials 5.2%; food and live animals 2.1%). Major import sources: Japan 22.4%; Taiwan 12.4%; United States 10.3%; Hong Kong 10.1%; Germany 5.8%; South Korea 5.2%; Russia 4.8%; Italy 2.6%; Singapore 2.5%; Australia 1.9%; United Kingdom 1.6%.
Exports (1993): U.S.$91,763,000,000 (products of textile industries, rubber and metal products 17.9%; machinery and transport equipment 16.7%; food and live animals 9.2%; chemicals and allied products 5.0%; mineral fuels and lubricants 4.5%; inedible raw materials 3.3%). Major export destinations: Hong Kong 24.0%; United States 18.5%; Japan 17.2%; Germany 4.3%; South Korea 3.1%; Russia 2.9%; Singapore 2.4%; United Kingdom 2.1%; The Netherlands 1.8%; Taiwan 1.6%; Italy 1.4%.
Transport. Railroads (1993): length 43,131 mi, 69,412 km; (1994) passenger-mi 225,990,000,000, passenger-km 363,700,000,000; short ton-mi cargo 853,576,000,000, metric ton-km cargo 1,246,200,000,000. Roads (1993): total length 673,239 mi, 1,083,476 km (paved 89%). Vehicles (1993): passenger cars 2,859,800; trucks and buses 5,010,000. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 2,390; total deadweight tonnage 20,657,996. Air transport (1994): passenger-mi 33,100,000,000, passenger-km 53,300,000,000; short ton-mi cargo 1,336,000,000, metric ton-km cargo 1,950,000,000; airports (1995) with scheduled flights 108.
Communications. Daily newspapers (1988): total number (1992) 74; total circulation 39,597,000{5}; circulation per 1,000 population 37{5}. Radio (1994): total number of receivers 206,000,000 (1 per 5.8 persons). Television (1994): total number of receivers 227,880,000 (1 per 5.2 persons). Telephones (1992): 18,888,200 (1 per 62 persons).
Literacy (1990): total population age 15 and over literate 636,112,000 (77.7%); males literate 364,687,000 (87.0%); females literate 271,425,000 (68.0%).
Health (1993): physicians 1,832,000 (1 per 647 persons); hospital beds 3,099,000 (1 per 382 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births 26.
Food (1988-90): daily per capita caloric intake 2,641 (vegetable products 89%, animal products 11%); 112% of FAO recommended minimum requirement.
Total active duty personnel (1994): 2,930,000 (army 75.1%, navy 8.9%, air force 16.0%). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1993): 2.7% (world 3.3%); per capita expenditure U.S.$47.