Inner Mongolia has national iron and steel and coal production bases. In addition, it has industries of forest, farm produce processing, electricity, machinery, chemicals, electronics, textile, sugar, paper making, and light industry. It has a developed agriculture and animal husbandry. The region is a national production base of cash grain, oil, and sugar. It is also an important animal husbandry base, ranking the top among the five major pastoral areas in the country.
In 2001, the grain output in the region totaled 12.39 billion kg, and the annual growth in the number of domestic animals reached 25.89 million. The total output of meat and dairy products reached 1.49 million and 1 million tons respectively, up by 3.9 percent and 20 percent from the previous year.
The year also witnessed accelerated pace of industrial restructuring and technologic renovation in the region. The total industrial added value reached 50.7 billion yuan (US$6.12 billion), the annual growth rate being 11.3 percent. The tertiary industry and the non-state-owned economy have developed rapidly, becoming a significant force in boosting local economic development.
GDP: 140 billion yuan (US$16.9 billion) (2000)
154.55 billion (US$18.67 billion) (2001)
GDP growth rate: 9.6 percent (2001) and averaging increasing rate of 10 percent during the ninth Five-Year Plan period (1996-2000)
GDP per capita: 5,350 yuan (US$646) (2000)
Urban and rural income: From 1989 to 1997 Inner Mongolia was the poorest in China in terms of the disposable per capita income of urbanites and rural residents. In 1999 it ranked 22nd in the country. In 2000 the disposable per capita income of urbanites and rural residents amounted to 5,120 yuan (US$618), 7.3 percent up over the previous year, a 58.9 percent increase over the end of eighth Five-Year Plan period (1991-95), and averaging an annual increase of 9.7 percent. The average per capita income of rural residents hit 2,050 yuan (US$248), with an annual increasing rate of 5 percent.
In 2001, the disposable per capita income of urbanites and rural residents was 5,536 yuan (US$668.6) and 1,950 yuan (US$235.5). A total of 850,000 people in the rural areas shook off poverty and began to have enough to eat and wear.
GDP ratio: (1st, 2nd, and tertiary industries): 25:39:36 (2000)
Added value and growth rate (1st, 2nd, and tertiary industries) (2000): 35.2 billion yuan (US$4.25 billion), 55.2 billion yuan (US$6.67), and 49.6 billion yuan (US$5.99 billion) respectively; 2.6 percent, 12.3 percent, and 11.6 percent increase over the previous year respectively; averaging annual increase rate of 6.4 percent, 11.7 percent, 10.7 percent during the ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000).
Added value and growth rate (1st, 2nd, and tertiary industries) (2001): 36.1 billion yuan (US$4.36 billion), 62.4 billion yuan (US$7.54 billion), and 55.97 billion yuan (US$6.76 billion) respectively; 2 percent, 12 percent, and 12.1 percent increase over the previous year respectively.
Poverty-alleviation plan
By the end of 2000, Inner Mongolia still had some 804,000 poverty-stricken people without necessary food and clothes and 3 million in unstable situation. It needs to resettle 200,000 people.
Inflation rate (2000): consumption price 1.3 percent up over the previous year.
Unemployment rate: 3.34 percent (2000)
Revenues: 16.77 billion yuan (US$2.02 billion) (2001), 7.8 percent up from the previous year.
Foreign trade: Inner Mongolia has conducted trade, economic and technological cooperation with nearly 100 countries and regions in the world. Its exports come in 1,000 categories. Trade with Russia and Mongolia thrives. During the ninth Five-Year Plan period, the region achieved US$7.58 billion in import and export, with an export of US$4.16 billion. In 2000 it obtained US$2 billion in foreign trade, the export being US$1 billion. The region has 18 opening ports -- including 11 A-grade and 7 C-grade -- and 16 development zones, four of state level and 12 of regional level. In 2001, the total export value of the region amounted to US$1.14 billion, increasing at an annual growth rate of 11.6 percent.
Foreign investment: By the end of 2000, the region had 1,871 foreign invested enterprises and a contracted foreign investment of US$2,559.32 million. It received loans of US$1.72 billion for its 78 projects from international financial organizations and foreign countries, with a total of US$52.78 million from foreign governments for its 43 projects. The projects cover 70-plus counties in the region and involve agriculture, education, health, communications, energy, and environmental protection. Foreign loans account for 5.1 percent of the total fund for fixed asset investment. It has actually utilized 43.14 billion yuan of foreign funds.
The year 2001 saw a total of 18.4 billion yuan (US$2.22 billion) invested in the region, of which US$187 million was from overseas, up 66 percent.
Key industries: Farm production and processing as well as animal husbandry; energy; metallurgy and chemicals.
