This chapter mainly covers the data on China's divisions of administrative areas, natural conditions and the exploitation and
utilization of the natural resources.

1) Data on divisions of adminis trative areas in China are prepared and provided by the Minis try of Civil Affairs on the
bas is of the changes in the divisions of administrative areas approved by the State Council by the end of the previous year.

2) Data on natural conditions cover land area, mountain ranges, rivers, ocean and meteorological phenomena. Statistics
are compiled by the Department of Integrated Statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics using relevant historical data.

3) Data on natural resources cover land, fores t, water, ocean and mineral resources . Data on land are from The Divisions of
Agricultural Resources compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1984. Data on forest are prepared according to data from the
surveys conducted by the National Bureau of Forestry in 1994- 1998. Data on water resources are provided by the Ministry of
Water Resources. Data on oceanic resources are provided by the State Oceanic Administration. Data on mineral resources are
provided by the Ministry of Land and Resources. Meteorological data are provided by the China Meteorological Bureau.