Statistics 2016 Shows Changes in Hunan

　　The Hunan Provincial Bureau of Statistics released the Statistical Communiqué for the 2016 Economic and Social Development of Hunan Province on March 9, 2017. The Communiqué summarized Hunan’s GDP and population growth, industrial and agricultural development, as well as investment and consumption conditions in the previous year.

　　According to the Communiqué, as of 2016 end, the permanent residents reached 68.22 million, increasing by 390,000 year on year. Among the total, urban population was 35.986 million and urbanization rate reached 52.75%.

　　Male and female population was respectively 35.176 million and 33.044 million, making a gap of over two million.

　　The permanent population aged 60 years and above was 12.01 million, accounting for 17.61 % of the total, up 0.44% compared with the previous year. Those aged between 16-59 years reached 42.76 million, accounting for 62.68%, decreasing by 0.58%; those between 0 to 15 years totaled 13.448 million, taking up 19.71%; and, newborns population was 923,000.

　　The Communiqué showed a 6.0% year-on-year growth of Hunan’s general public budget revenue, reaching 425.21 billion yuan, while the general public budget expenditure totaling 633.7 billion yuan, up 10.6%.

　　Education expenditure was the highest, valuing 101.15 billion yuan. Social security and employment sectors followed, with a total expenditure of 88.24 billion yuan.

　　As for growth rate, the expenditures on poverty alleviation, cultural and sports and mass media, and urban and rural community affairs ranked top three, respectively up 140%, 38.7%, and 24%.

　　Hunan’s education undertakings witnessed rapid growth as the investment increased. In 2016, the number of students in regular higher educational institutions hit 1.2 million, up 3.8%; among which postgraduates were 71,000, up 2.7%. Kindergartens accommodated 2.249 million children, a year-on-year increase of 3.8%. Enrollment rate of school-age children in primary school hit 99.99 %, while that in high schools was 90.6%.

　　According to the Communiqué, the per capita consumption expenditure of Hunan’s urban and rural residents was 21,420 yuan and 10,630 yuan, with their Engel coefficient being 29.9% and 31.7%, decreasing by 1.3% and 1.2% respectively.

　　Resident income saw a relatively rapid growth in 2016, while regional gap still existing.

　　By the end of 2016, there were 273 performing troupes, 143 mass art and cultural centers, 137 public libraries, 113 museums and memorials. Publications flourished, with 13,188 categories of books, 248 journals, and 48 types of newspapers.

　　Medical and healthcare institutions totaled 61,055, with 300,000 beds in hospitals, up 8.7%, and 96,000 beds in township healthcare centers, up 3.8%. The number of health workers increased by 5.9%, amounting to 393,000.

　　More than 10,000 sports ground and venues were built in the past year, reaching a total number of 98,684, including 220 gymnasiums, 7,296 playgrounds, 543 swimming pools, and 4,527 training rooms.