China's urbanization rate has seen a remarkable increase over the past 75 years. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the ratio of permanent urban residents rose by 55.52 percentage points, reaching 66.16% by the end of 2023.
The NBS report highlights that since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the country has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization process in world history. At the end of 1949, China had just 129 cities with a combined population of 39.49 million. Fast forward to 2023, and the number of cities has expanded to 694, with prefecture-level and larger cities housing a total of 673.13 million people.
Among these, 29 cities now boast populations exceeding 5 million, and 11 cities have populations over 10 million. This growth is not just concentrated in the eastern regions; China's less-developed western areas are also rising, leading to a more balanced urbanization process. Notably, nine of the 11 new prefecture-level cities established since 2011 are located in the western region.
As urbanization continues to advance, China has eased nearly all restrictions on household registration in cities with populations under 3 million. This policy change has made it easier for individuals from rural areas to permanently settle in urban centers, further fueling the country's urban growth.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
