China: Basic Information

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China is the world's most populous country and one of the largest producers and consumers of agricultural products. China's population is about 4.5 times that of the United States. Its cropland area is only 75 percent of the U.S. total, but China still produced crops and livestock valued at $442 billion in 2006, about 84 percent more than the U.S. total. Despite limited supplies of land, water, and other natural resources, China grows most of its own food and is a major exporter of many agricultural commodities.

Maps—University of Texas collection.

More information on China's food and agriculture:

• China at a Glance: A Statistical Overview of China's Food and Agriculture. A profile of one of the world's largest agricultural economies.
• China's Food and Agriculture in the 21st Century. Issues and trends related to China's food and agriculture as it enters the 21st century.
• China agricultural and economic data. A database containing official Chinese statistics collected by ERS on agricultural production, food consumption, price indexes, macroeconomic data, and industrial output.
• Agricultural trade. A description of China's imports and exports of food and agricultural products and the role it plays in commodity markets.

China-United States statistical comparison

1/Census data.
2/ Calculations based on census data and labor force statistics.
3/ Gross value of crop and livestock receipts.
4/ China and U.S. customs data analyzed by ERS. Data are for calendar years.