The people of China
China's 1.41 billion people make up one-fifth of the world's population.
In recent years China鈥檚 urban population had grown rapidly:
- In 2022, 64.7% of the population was living in cities (source: China Statistical Yearbook 2022)
- Shanghai is China鈥檚 largest city, with a population of 24.76 people in 2022 (Source: Reuters).
The busiest areas are the coastal eastern and southern parts of China. Years of fast population growth and urbanization have contributed hugely to economic growth and the creation of wealth.
The majority of people in China are Han Chinese (92 per cent). There are also 55 other ethnic groups. In two parts of China 鈥 Tibet and Xinjiang 鈥 serious issues have developed over ethnic differences.
Economy
Since the 1980s, China has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. It is the second largest in terms of GDP, behind the USA. The Chinese economy is expected to overtake the US economy by 2030.
But in recent times, China has been facing post-pandemic challenges, including slowing economic growth, high youth unemployment, low foreign investment and a property crisis. (Source: 大象传媒 News)
Social change
Chinese society has undergone massive social change in the last forty years. Millions of people have moved from rural to urban areas, abandoning their traditional lifestyles. In many cities, skyscrapers dominate the skyline and Western brands fill the new shopping centres.
Millions of Chinese people today own consumer goods, such as cars, mobile phones and computers. This was unimaginable 40 - 50 years ago. Wealth in China has soared.