Urbanisation and city size distribution in China

China has been experiencing rapid urbanisation since the economic reform starting in 1978. The number of cities increased from 191 in 1978 to 667 in 1999, while the urban share of the national population increased from 18 to 31 per cent. This paper examines China's urbanisation and the evolution of its city system. It uses city-level data from 1991 and 1998 to investigate China's city size distribution and its changes. It also discusses how economic and institutional factors affect the urban system and the patterns of urban growth.