中國是一個文化、語言、風俗和經濟水平都很多樣化的地方。 經濟格局尤其多樣化。大城市如北京，廣州和上海是現代的，相對 富裕的。然而，約50%的中國人仍然生活在農村地區，盡管中國只 有10%的土地是可耕地。數百萬農村居民仍然依靠體 力勞動或役畜耕作。兩三百萬農民遷到城鎮尋找工作。 一般來說，南部和東部沿海地區比內陸地區更富有，西部和北部， 以及西南部是非常不發達的地區。

　　China is a very diverse place with large variations in cul?ture, language, customs and economic levels. The economic landscape is particularly diverse. The major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are modem and comparatively wealthy. However, about 50% of Chinese still live in rural areas even though only 10% of Chinas land is arable. 　　　　Hundreds of millions of rural residents still farm with manual　labour or draft animals. Some 200 to 300 million former peasants have23?migrated to townships and cities in search of work. Generally the southern and eastern coastal regions are wealthier while inland areas, the far west and north, and the southwest are much less developed.