Major Economic Indicators (2007)
| Land Area |
42,700 km2
|
|
Population
|
2.2 million
|
|
GDP
|
RMB 30.7 billion (US$4.1 billion), 17.9% up
|
|
GDP Composition
|
|
Primary Industry (Agriculture)
|
12.7%
|
|
Secondary Industry
(Industry & Construction)
|
44.3%
|
|
Tertiary Industry (Service)
|
43.0%
|
|
GDP Per Capita
|
RMB 14,104 (US$1,875)
|
|
Unemployment Rate
|
4.1%
|
|
Fixed Asset Investment
|
RMB 29.5 billion (US$3.9 billion), 40.5% up
|
|
Utilized FDI
|
US$42.6 million
|
|
Total Import & Export
|
US$1.45 billion, 29.9% up
|
|
Export
|
US$1.2 billion, 36.7% up
|
|
Import
|
US$250 million, 4.9% up
|
|
Sales of Consumer Goods
|
RMB 14.3 billion(US$1.9 billion), 19.4% up
|
Source: Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture Economic and Social Development Report 2007
Introduction
Yanbian Autonomous Prefecture is located in the eastern part of Jilin Province, bordering Russia and North Korea. The largest of the prefectures and prefecture-level cities in Jilin, Yanbian covers an area of approximately 42,700 sq km, and accounts for one fourth of Jinlin's total area. The population of the prefecture amounted to 2.2 million at the end of 2007. Koreans accounted for approximately 36.8% of the prefecture's total population.
Yanbian has a temperate, humid monsoon climate with a very dry, windy spring, a hot, rainy summer, a cool autumn, and a long, cold, dry winter. The average temperature is 2-6 Celsius. The average annual precipitation reaches 400-650 mm, while the average annual sunshine totals to 2,150-2,480 hours.
Yanbian is rich in natural resources. There are approximately 487 rivers and streams running through Yanbian with average combined annual surface runoff of 13.0 billion cubic meters. Forests cover 79.6% of the prefecture's lands, and timber resources amount to 352 million cubic meters. Reserves of limestone total more than 98.0 million tons, ranking first in Jilin Province.
Transportation in Yanbian is very convenient. There are highways and railways connecting the prefecture with surrounding cities and extending to most major domestic cities as well as some Russian and North Korean cities. Yanji Zhaoyangchuan Airport is located in the southwestern part of Yanji, the economic and political center of Yanbian, and operates flights to cities including Beijing, the capital of China, Shenyang, Qingdao, Guanzhou, Dalian, and Shanghai.
Economic Features
Yanbian realized GDP of RMB 30.7 billion in 2007, representing a rise of 17.9% year on year. The prefecture's GDP accounted for approximately 5.9% of Jilin's total and ranked sixth out of nine prefectures and prefecture-level cities in the province.
The agricultural sector generated value-added industrial output of RMB 3.9 billion in 2007, accounting for 12.7% of the prefecture's GDP. Output of grain amounted to 939,000 tons, contributing approximately 3.8% to the province's total.
In 2007, value-added output of secondary industry (industry and construction) amounted to RMB 13.8 billion and accounted for 44.3% of the prefecture's total.
The industrial sector realized value-added industrial output of 11.7 billion in 2007, contributing 85.1% to secondary industry's total, while industrial enterprises with designated size or above generated value-added industrial output of RMB 9.7 billion, accounting for 83.2% of the industrial sector's total.
Food processing, pharmaceuticals, forestry, energy and mining are the pillar industries of Yanbian. As a whole, these industries realized value-added industrial output of RMB 6.8 billion, contributing 70.1% to the total generated by industrial enterprises with designated size or above.
Yanbian's construction sector realized value-added output of RMB 2.1 billion in 2007, accounting for about 14.9% of the secondary industry's total.
In 2007, the service sector generated value-added output of RMB 13.1 billion, contributing 43.0% of the prefecture's GDP.
Wholesale and retail activities, the largest contributor to the service sector, generated value-added output of RMB 2.8 billion in 2007, accounting for 21.6% to the sector's total, while the second largest contributor, the finance sector, realized value-added output of RMB 1.7 million, contributing 12.8% to the sector's total.
Tourism is also important for Yanbian's service sector. During 2007, 4.0 million tourists visited the prefecture, up 17.1% year on year, while tourism income totaled approximately RMB 3.8 billion, rising 26.5% compared to the previous year.
The prefecture's foreign trade amounted to US$1.45 billion in 2007, up 29.9% compared to the previous year. Exports soared 36.7% to US$1.2 billion, while imports rose 4.9% to US$250 million. Russia, North Korea, Japan, South Korea, the E.U., and the U.S. are the most important trading partners of Yanbian. Foreign trade with Russia and with North Korea amounted to US$634 million and US$278 million in 2007, contributing 43.7% and 19.2% to the total, respectively.
Yanbian attracted contractual foreign investment of US$163 million in 2007, while the utilized FDI in the prefecture reached US$42.6 million.
Cultural Highlights
Yanbian is the only Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China and is famous as a town of etiquette and as a town of songs and dances.
Yanbian has a profound history. As early as the Neolithic Age, there were people living and multiplying here. Before the Tang Dynasty, Yanbian was under the administration of the Bohai Kingdom and the Koguryo Dynasty.
In 1955, Yanbian was designated as a Korean Autonomous Prefecture by the State Council.
Tourist Attractions
Tourist attractions in Yanbian include Changbai Mountain Natural Reserve, Tumen River Tourism Area, Bohai Kingdom Ruins, Yanji Folk Tourism Area, Huichun Border Tourism Area, Longwang Mountain Tourism Area, Longjin Historic Ruins Tourism Area, and Liuxiangding Mountain Tourism Area.
Changbai Mountain Natural Reserve is a state-level nature reserve and has been included in UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Program.
In Yanbian, Cold Noodles, Spicy Pickled Cabbage, Dog Meat Soup, and Da Cake, which is made of sticky rice, bean flour, sugar and honey, are the most popular dishes among local Koreans.
