Understanding Chinese Cities and Their Sizes

Introduction

• China is one of the largest countries in the world by various metrics:
  • Population
  • GDP
  • Military size
  • Land area
• Chinese cities are vast in urban landscapes with skyscrapers and millions of people.
• Misconceptions about the actual population sizes of some Chinese cities.

The Case of Chongqing

• Often described as having a population of 32-33 million people.
• Compared to cities like Tokyo, Chongqing appears massive but is less densely populated.
• Geographic features such as mountains contribute to sparse population areas.
• Chongqing's urban population is actually around 8-16 million.

Administrative Structure of Chinese Cities

• Chongqing is a direct-administered municipality:
  • Separate from any province, governed directly by the central government.
  • Other examples: Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin.
  • Became a municipality in 1997 to promote growth in Western China.
• Vast area: 32,000 square miles, compared to South Carolina or Austria.
• Rural and urban areas both included in the city’s boundary.

Other Examples of Large Chinese Cities

• Cities like Beijing and Changdu include large rural areas.
• Northern cities such as Harbin and Hulunbuir also cover vast areas.
  • Hulunbuir: 100,000 square miles, larger than Colorado or South Korea.
• U.S. cities also have large areas but not on the same scale, e.g., Jacksonville.

Understanding Chinese City Definitions

• Administrative Tiers in China:
  1. Province Level: Equivalent to U.S. states. Includes provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.
  2. Prefecture Level: Subdivisions of provinces, usually classified as cities.
     • Prefecture-level cities encompass urban centers, towns, rural areas, and sometimes other cities.
  3. County Level: Subdivisions of prefectures, includes:
     • County-level cities
     • Regular counties
     • Districts
• Prefecture-level cities act as metropolitan regions, not just urban cores.
  • Example: Changsha includes mountainous rural areas and smaller cities like Ningang.
• County-level cities are smaller and governed by larger prefecture-level cities.
• Districts: Parts of prefecture-level cities that make up urban cores.

Implications

• Chinese cities' definitions differ significantly from international norms.
• Comparisons with cities in other countries are complicated due to these differences.

Conclusion

• Understanding the administrative structure of Chinese cities is crucial for accurate comparisons and understanding of their actual sizes and populations.
• The term 'city' in China covers a range from dense urban areas to expansive regions.