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General
Information:
Zhejiang Province is located on China's southeast coast, south of the Yangtze River Delta. Adjacent to the north is Shanghai, China's largest city, while a vast hinterland stretches westward. The whole province is noted for its picturesque scenery, and the abundance of its products has made it widely known as a "land of fish and rice." It is also noted for its silk and tea, as well as for its numerous historical and cultural sites of interest to scholars and tourists alike.
Zhejiang covers a total area of 101,800 sq km, of which 70.4 percent is mountainous
or hilly. Plains and basins make up 23.2 percent, and rivers and lakes
make up the other 6.4 percent. It also occupies a large sea area. Along
the coast, there are 3,061 islands each having an area of more than
500 sq m. This brings the total coastline to 6,486 km, the longest in
China. Areas under cultivation total 1.613 million ha. Land used by
forestry covers 6.397 million ha. there is a combined fresh water surface
area of 224,000 ha. and over 100,000 ha. of shallow sea and shoals are
suitable for aquaculture. Also there is the Zhoushan fishing ground
producing the biggest catches on the coastline of China.
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With regard to administration, Zhejiang is divided into ten cities and one prefecture at the provincial level:
Hangzhou, Ningbo,
Wenzhou, Jiaxing, Huzhou,
Shaoxing, Jinhua, Quzhou,
Zhoushan, Taizhou
(the ten administrative cities) and Lishui (an
administrative area).
There are 39 counties, 25 cities and 24 districts at the county level. The total population of the province is 44.56 millionm, over 300,000 of whom belong to 47ethnic minorities. She and Hui are the two biggest minority ethnic groups.
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Zhejiang was one of the cradles of ancient Chinese civilization. Over 100 neolithic sites belonging to the Hemudu(c.5,000 B.C.), Majiabang(C.4,00 B.C.) and Liangzhu(c. 3,000 B.C.)cultures so far have been discovered.
In the tenth century, rapid social and economic development transformed Zhejiang into one of the richest and nost populous areas of China. It led the country in the silk, porcelain and papermaking industries. Since the People's Republic of China was founded in Oct., 1949, Zhejiang has entered a new historic development period. Throughout its long history, Zhejiang has produced an unending stream of thinkers and cultural celebrities. More than 1,000 natives of the province have been inscribed on the historical roll of great literary figures, especially in this century, when Zhejiang produced the literary giants Lu Xun, Mao Dun, Xia Yan, Ai Qing, Xu Zhimo and WuHan. Besides, since the founding of the People's Republic of China, nearly one fifth of the academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering have been natives of the province.
Following the introduction of the reform and opening-up policies, Zhejiang has made rapid strides in its economic, scientific and technological and social undertakings. From 1979 to 1998, the annual growth rate of the province's gross domestic product(GDP) averaged 13.5 percent, 3.8percent higher than that of the national average. At present, it's economic standing ranks fourth in China.
Rapid Economic Growth with Continued Increase in Comprehensive Strength
Zhejiang's GDP in 1998 was 498 billion yuan, an increase of 10.1 percent over 1997. Of this amount, the added value from primary industry was 62 billion yuan, an increase of 1.3 percent; that from secondary industry was 272 billion yuan, an increase of 11.8 percent; and that from tertiary industry was 164 billion yuan, an increase of 10.3 percent. The ratio among primary, secondary and tertiary industries had been adjusted from 13.7:54.1:32.2 in 1997 to 12.5:54.6:32.9 in 1998.
Continuously Expanded Investment and Rapid Structural Adjustment
In 1998, investment in fixed assets totaled 184.8 billion yuan, an increase of 9.1 percent over 1997, putting a list of key projects. The Shanhai-Hangzhou expressway is put into operation and the construction of standard defense works along the coast and rivers is underway. Zhejiang has fostered four leading industries of machinery, electronics, chemicals and pharmaceutials, which have accelerated the economic development. Along with breakthroughs in the overall structural adjustment of cotton textiles, silk and cement industries, the structural adjustment and optimization of product mix, of technologies and of enterprise organizations have been developed.
Deepening in Reform and Progress in Building up the Socialist Market Economy
The economic structure has been basically formed, in which public ownership as a mainstay develops jointly with diversified ownership. The self-employed, private and other non-public ownership sectors of the economy have grown rapidly. In the province, a majority of state-owned medium and small-sized firms, urban collective and township enterprises have undertaken the reform of the system of ownership and management. The field and scale of combination and merging among enterprises have been enlarged. The reform of planning, investment, housing and scientific and technological systems is making further progress. Endowment insurance has been spread to rural areas. The coverage rate of urban unemployment has reached 73 percent. The establishment of a market system characterized by markets specializing in a certain commodity is leading the country. Markets for essential factors of production have become livelier. In 1998, there were 4,619 specialized markets in the province, the turnover of which reached 321 billion yuan, an increase of 14.7 percent over the previous year.
Overall Structure for Opening up to the Outside Basically in Place and Foreign Trade and Utilization of Investment Continuously Marking Headway
The province's overall opening-up structure is guided by the coastal cities of Hangzhou, Ninbo and Wenzhou, as well as all sorts of national and provincial level development zones. In 1998, the gross foreign trade value reached 14.85 billion US dollars were contracted in foreign investment, but 2.41 billion US dollars were actually utilized. The in come of tourism came to 360 million US dollars.
Sustained Increase in Urban and Rural Residents'
Income and Improvement of Living standards
In 1998, the disposable per capita income of urban residents was 7,837 yuan, and the per capita net income of rural residents was 3,815 yuan, increases of 5.3 percent and 4.7 percent respectively over 1997. The average per capita dwelling area reached 12 sq m for urban residents and per capita averaged 38.5 sq m of built-up area for rural residents. 86.6 percent of urban households and 9.7 percent of rural households have installed telephones. Like the popularization of washing machines, refrigerators and color TV sets in the families, now air-conditioners, PC computers and video-cameras are becoming consumers' attractions. Some of the well-off families have bought cars. The dietary structure of urban and rural residents has been improved. Urban and rural residents enjoy colorful cultural lives and good medical care. The average anticipated life-span in the province is 72.7 years.
Zhejiang Provincial Association for cultural Exchange with Foreign
Countries
Address:1 Shengfu Road,Hangzhou City P.R.China
Tel:(0571)7052500 7057125
Fax:(0571)7054686
Zip code:310025
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