1. Name: Inner Mongolia Autonomic Region
2. Areas: 1183 thousand km²
3. Population:23.611 million (by the end of 1997)
4. Provincial Capital: Huhehaote City
5. Geography: The Inner Mongolia Autonomic Region is between 97° 12¢ ~126° 04¢ E. and 37° 24¢ ~53° 23¢ N. It is China’s northern frontier, on its northeast it borders on Russia and Mongolia; it neighbors on Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang.
6. Natural Resources: Inner Mongolia’s land area is the 3^rd in China. Its grassland is one fourth of China’s total grassland area, and its forest area is the 2^nd in China. Daxinganling forest zone is one of China and Inner Mongolia’s important forest production bases. Its coal reserves are huge, has rich rare-earth resources, and its natural alkali reserve is the 1^st in the country. It also has mineral products such as asbestos, millstones and mica. Its solar power and wind power resource is rich, but lacks water resource.
7. Economy: In 1997, the gross domestic product of Inner Mongolia was 109.452 billion yuan, the gross industrial and agricultural output value was 157.983 billion yuan, and the per capita gross national product was 4,691 yuan. The total imports and exports were 1,310.27 million US dollars; total provincial government revenue was 11.127 billion yuan; the yield of grain 14.2103 million tons, the yield of grain per capita was 613.53 kg. Inner Mongolia is one of China’s livestock husbandry bases, and is the biggest in China’s five main pastoral areas, its economic feature of agricultural economy is mainly livestock husbandry. Hetao (the Great Bend of the Yellow River), Tumochuan and Xiliaohe irrigated area have well-developed farming. After the 50’s, on the basis of the rich natural resources and farming-animal husbandry products, Inner Mongolia’s industry developed quite fast, and became one of the country’s main iron and coal production bases.
8. People’s Life: By the end of 1997, Inner Mongolia had labor force of 15.905 million people, it made 67.36% of total provincial population, and the labor force resource utilization rate was 66.00%. The total wages of staff and workers was 18.536406 billion yuan; total social insurance and welfare funds of employed and retired staff and workers were 4.14 billion yuan. The per capita net income of rural residence was 1,704.98 yuan. The average wage of staff and workers was 5,124 yuan, and the per capita annual disposable income of urban households was 3,944.67 yuan. The average household consumption was 2,127 yuan, 1,527 for rural residence and 3,310 for urban residence. The number of hospital beds per 10,000 persons was 27.7, and number of doctors per 10,000 persons was 43.6.
9. Education: By the end of 1997, there were 18 higher education institutions in Inner Mongolia, with number of student enrolment 40,217 and teachers 6,826; 2,339 secondary schools with number of student enrolment 1,417.961 thousand and teachers102.001 thousand; 12,227 primary schools with number of student enrolment 2,322.678 thousand and teachers 151.554 thousand. The feature of education distribution of Inner Mongolia population is the increase of educated population, and the average year of schooling increasing annually.

The population of Inner Mongolia is a small part of China’s. In 1997, the total population was 23.611 million, 1.90% of nation’s total. The population density is low with uneven distribution. There are more residence in the eastern part than the west, more residence in rural and pastoral area than in cities. Where with convenient transportation has more residence. There is variety of ethnic minorities with fast population increase. There are 49 ethnic minorities according to the statistic of 4^th national census.

There are 4 periods in the process of population growth. 1949~60 was the period of fast population growth, the annual increase rate was as high as 6.30%, immigration contributed to most part of the increase. The population natural growth during 1960~62 was relatively lower, with large amount of out-migrants, 1961 was the only year observed negative population increase in the history of autonomic region. 1962~73 the population fast growth continuously, annual increment reached 435.7 thousand annually, the annual rate was 3.17%. From 1973 up to now, the speed of growth has been slowed down; since the promotion of family planning, the natural increase rate changed from high to low very rapidly, the speed of migration slowed also.

In 1947, the establishment of the autonomic region, the sex ratio was 121.33. The sex ratio decreased gradually afterwards, into a reasonable figure. It decreased to 105.42 in 1997. However, the sex structure varies differently. Sex ratio was higher in pastoral, agricultural and suburb areas, differences also observed between different locations and urban and rural areas.

In 1997, the total population was 23.611 million in Inner Mongolia, among them, 5.382 million were in age 0~14, accounts for 24.70% of total; 16.57 million were in age 15~64, 70.18% of the total; 1.209 million were in age 65 and above, 5.12% of the total. The total dependency ratio was 42.49%, with that for children 35.20% and for elderly 7.29%.

In most years before 1985 the birth rates in Inner Mongolia were higher than national average. The change started from 1985, the birth rate decreased toward a level lower than national average. Meanwhile, the birth rate increased a little in 1986, due to the echo effect of last baby boom. During the 10 years (1981~89) the rural birth rate decreased, urban total fertility did not change much, the difference between urban and rural decreased. The birth rate in 1997 was 15.21‰, natural increase rate 8.25‰. According to population projection, the population will increase annually, and the amount of increase will be less and less, the speed of increase will be slower, there may be negative growth in some years.

The mortality has been decreasing since the 50’s. The mortality is higher for male. Significant difference exists between different areas. Infant mortality and children’s mortality decreased in a large scale. The mortality of Mongolians has been decreasing also, but higher than that of Han people. The minority ethnic group of Man and Korea had the lowest mortality in the autonomic region. The mortality decreased from 45‰ before 1949 to 6.96‰ in 1997.

The life expectancy of China before 1949 was 35, that of Inner Mongolia was even lower. Due to the continuously decreased mortality, the life expectancy in 1981 reached 66.96, and was 67.02 in 1990.

According to 4^th national census of 1990, the never-married proportion decreased largely, and the decrease was observed more in male than female. The number of early marriage increased. There was a positive relationship between never-married proportion and education level, larger proportion of never-married among those who had higher education. There was larger proportion of never-married in urban than in rural. The number of never-married young people in upper 20 and above increased, with more males; proportion of never-married women age 30 and above increased. There was high ratio of married, male lower than female but the difference decreased. There was little change in the proportion of divorced and widowed. The rural proportion of widowed higher than city and town, female higher than male. The divorce rate was low, with male higher than that of female, urban higher than that of rural. The marriage of ethnic minorities was stable and universal.

In 1997, the population age 15 and above in Inner Mongolia was 17.779 million, 9.129 male and 8.649 female, among them never married male 2.199 million and female 1.501 million, first married male 6.402 million and female 6.412 million, remarried male 130 thousand and female 144 thousand, divorced male 88 thousand and female 45 thousand, widowed male 311 thousand and female 548 thousand.

The family size was shrinking according to 1990 census, and there was difference between urban and rural. The rural family size not only higher than that of city and town, but also higher than that of region’s average. The family structure was mainly two-generation, the number of nuclear family increased fast, the number of stem family also increased a little, other types of families decreased. The kinship relationship becoming more simple.

The age distribution of population in Inner Mongolia has transited from young to adult, and became adult in 1990. In 1997, there were 1.209 million people age 65 and above, made 5.12% of total. Among the elderly in 1990, most of them were married or widowed, the employment rate was 24.88% (age 60 and above). The mortality rate for elderly population was 81.46%, 1.33 times higher than that of national average.

The education developed rapidly since 1982, the education level was raised further, more population received education, illiterate and half illiterate population decreased. The illiteracy rate in rural and pastoral areas was higher than that of urban. The college to illiterate ratio was 9.53% in 1990, 0.85 percentage point higher than that of national average, say, 8.68%.

Inner Mongolia is the area with frequent migration in history. Mostly was intra-migration. The floating population in 1990 was 1045.9 thousand, and the number has been increasing. The inter-migration mainly toward neighboring provinces, there were more out-migrants than in-migrants, which is the reverse pattern compare to the history. The intra-migration was mainly from rural to urban, due to the economic development, resource exploitation and social development.

Inner Mongolia has rich resource, but the per capita resource is decreasing, due to population growth. During 1982 to 1990, the relationship between population and environment was basically harmonic, but it is still difficult job to protect the environment and prevent pollution.

The family planning was introduced into Han majority residence started in 1971, the population growth began to be slowed down. Family planning publicity was the focus of this period.

The Family Planning Office of autonomic region was established in the end of 1979. The Family Planning Commission was established in 1983. In early 1981, the autonomic region held a meeting to discuss the family planning issue, called for control population growth, promote one child per family in Han majority. In September of 1981, the people’s congress passed “Supplemental Regulation to ‘Marriage Law’”, stated that “do not promoting fertility control in minorities, but providing service to those who require for.” “Trial Implementation of Family Planning Regulation in Inner Mongolia” was issued in 1982. In 1988, specific regulations were given to family planning in minorities. Furthermore, the regular publicity and education were carried out, the family planning teams were established, and research was emphasized.

“Inner Mongolia Autonomic Region Family Planning Regulation” was issued in 1990, put the family planning into contents of government management. The norm of family planning was accepted widely, the ideas of childbearing have been changed. After 1991, it has been required that the leaders of each level government are responsible to family planning. A leadership group of population and family planning was organized in 1991. The government proved “Suggestions on Improving Rural and Pastoral Areas’ Family Planning Work” by Family Planning Commission, asked to focus on rural area’ family planning work. The financial input into family planning was increased. Through publicity and education, the family planning in grassroots was well carried out. The government has carried out new work styles to put emphasis on information, education, communication, contraception and regular services of family planning, realizing the transitions from management to service providing.

Family planning received significant results in the region. The birth rates changed from 37.19‰ in 1960s to 19‰ in 1990s (with 27.06‰ in 1970s and 20.93‰ in 1980s). Total fertility rate decreased from 6.7 in 1960s to 4.3 (1970s), 2.31 (1980s), and about 2.0 in 1990s. The family planning rate was 43.77% in 1980, 53.88% in 1985, 73% in 1990, 84% in 1992 (sampling survey), and 97.92% in 1997 (sampling survey). The high parity birth rate from 32.12% in 1980, 17.31% in 1985, 13% in 1990, to 8% in 1993. The fast population growth was controlled effectively, the quality of service improved. Family planning provided a better population situation for social and economic development in the region.

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