Originally from: http://www.china.or.cn/ChinaInBrief/17e5412p.html

China comprises 56 ethnic groups. On the principle that all ethnic groups are equal, and in accordance with each ethnic group's historical and cultural origins, location and present situation, the Chinese government has carries out a creative and unique policy of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities to solve ethnic problems by combining ethnic, regional and political factors. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China specifies: under the unified leadership of the state, ``regional autonomy is practised in areas where people of ethnic minorities live in concentrated communities; in these areas organs of self-government are establsihed to exercise the power of autonomy.'' ``The organs of self-government of national autonomous areas are the people's congresses and people's governments of autonomous regions, autonomous prefectures and autonomous counties.'' The Law on Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities passed by the National People's Congress in 1984 is the basic law ensuring regional autonomy for ethnic minorities in detail. At present China has five national autonomous regions: The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Tibet Autonomous Region.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, instituted earlier than the other four, celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding on May 1, 1997. This booklet gives an outline of the region's geography, natural resources, history, religions and ethnic customs, and deals with some topical questions, such as the Region's achievements both in economic construction and social development in the 50 years since its founding, the unique and favorable conditions for Inner Mongolia's further development and its advantages for opening to the outside world.

Geographical Conditions The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is located along the northern boundary of China, extending more than 1,700 km from south to north, at a latitude between 53*23'and 37*24' N, and more than 2,500 km from east to west, at a longitude between 97*12' and 126*04' E. The Region borders on Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces to the east, Hebei, Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to the south and southwest, Gansu Province to the west, and Mongolia and Russia to the north and northeast, respectively. It has an international border more than 4,221 km long. Its territory covers more than 1.18 million sq km, accounting for 12.3 percent of the territory of the whole country. It is the third-largest division in China, smaller only than the Xinjiang Uygur and Tibet autonomous regions.

It is mostly plateau, i.e., the Inner Mongolia Plateau, at an altitude of over 1,000 m. The Inner Mongolia Plateau is the second-biggest among China's four large plateaus. High in the south and low in the north it extends from the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the east to the Mazong, Heli and Longshou mountains in the west, to the Yinshan Mountains in the south and to the Sino-Mongolian border in the north -- more than 3,000 km from northeast to southwest.

On the plateau there are no distinct mountains or valleys, but gentle rises and falls of land, so automobiles have universal access. The vast plateau (inclusive of the minor Ordos Plateau) is one of China's natural prairies. Within this boundless prairie are some deserts, including the Lesser Tengger Desert in the south of the Xilin Gol League (prefecture), the Badainjaran, Tengger and Ulanbuh deserts in the Alax League, Hobq Desert and Muus Desert, respectively, in the north and south of the Ordos Plateau, Hulunbuir Desert in the Hulunbuir League and the Horqin Desert in Jirem League. There are nearly 1,000 rivers in the region, including more than 107 each with a catchment area of over 1,000 sq km.

There are more than 1,000 lakes in various sizes, covering over 7,000 sq km in total area. The water area in the region covers 984,300 ha, with 650,000 ha of usable fresh water, 10.68 percent of that of the whole country and equal to that of Hubei Province, which is called the ``Province of One Thousand Lakes.'' The yearly availability of fresh water (both underground and above the ground) averages 50.9 billion cu m, with a per capita amount of 2,370 cu m, and about 10,000 cu m per ha of farmland. The mountain ranges, including the Greater Hinggan, Yinshan and Helanshan, divide the rivers and lakes within the region into southeastern and northwestern ones: In the northwest are mostly inland drainage areas, where rivers are fewer in number and poor in water resources, and alkaline and salt lakes are widely distributed; in the southeast are outflow systems, with the four largest being the Yellow, Nenjiang, Erhkuna and Xiliaohe rivers. The major fresh water lakes are the Hulun Nur, Buir Nur, Ulansu Nur, Juire Nur, Dai Hai and Huangqi Hai, all with areas larger than 100 sq m. In addition, there are many hot springs and mineral springs in the region. The Arxan Hot Springs at the western foot of the Greater Hinggan Mountains are the most famous among them.

Inner Mongolia has a typical continental climate -- cold and long winters, hot summers, and windy and dusty springs. Rainfall in most areas averages between 50 mm and 450 mm, which is low. Sunshine, however, surpasses 2,500 hours a year throughout the region, reaching even 3,200 hours in some areas. As a result, evaporation is very high -- between 1,000 mm and 3,000 mm a year. Both yearly and daily temperature differences are remarkable, with the January average minus 10xC in the southwest and minus 30xC in the northeast. Lows of minus 50xC have been recorded at the Miandu River to the north of the Greater Hinggan Mountains. Yearly temperature differences are usually 33xC to 49xC, increasing from south to north. In most areas of the region there are 80-150 frost-free days allowing only one harvest a year. Inner Mongolia is windy, with the wind speed in most areas averaging more than Force 3 and the wind speed in over half of the region (mainly pastoral areas) averaging Force 4. There are usually more than 40 days of strong wind a year, and even more than 100 days in some areas.

Products and Resources Inner Mongolia is rich in natural and mineral resources, including lush grassland, dense forests, fertile farmland, numerous minerals, and a wide variety of animals and plants. For long it has enjoyed the reputation of having ``grain in the south, animal husbandry in the north, forests in the east, iron in the west and coal all over.''

At present the region has 5.49 million ha of farmland (one fourth of which is irrigated), about 5.8 percent of the country's total farmland.Per capita farmland is 0.24 ha, about four times China's average. In addition, there are more than 5.97 million ha of land suitable for farming. The Hetao Plain, and hills and valleys in the southeast are the major agricultural areas in Inner Mongolia, mainly yielding wheat, corn, rice, soybeans and potatoes, as well as crash crops such as flax, rape and sugar beet.

The region's vast prairie extends over 1,000 kilometers, featuring a wonderful prairie scene, and covers 8,800 ha, of which 6,300 ha are usable, making up two-thirds of the region's whole territory and one third of the country's total grassland. The Inner Mongolia prairie leads China's five largest prairies. On it are raised Sanhe horses and cattle, prairie red cattle, Wuzhumu horses and big-tailed sheep, Inner Mongolian fine-wool sheep, Ordos fine-wool sheep, Aohan fine-wool sheep, Arbas white goats, Erlangshan white goats, and Alax camels. They all enjoy great reputation in China.

The region has 32.693 million ha of forest land, ranking first in the country and covering 14.1 percent of its total territory. Timber reserves account for 1.12 billion cu m, 8.8 percent of the country's total. The forest resources in Inner Mongolia can be divided into three parts: Natural forests, secondary forests and afforested areas. Tree species number over 350, including quality ones such as larch, Korean pine, Mongolian Scotch pine, Chinese pine, Mongolian birch, black birch, white birch, white poplar, Manchurian ash, Siberian elm, willow, etc.

Inner Mongolia is a ``natural treasure-house'' of wild animals and plants. According to statistics, there are 117 species of wild animals and 362 kinds of birds, among which more than 10 are rare species and 49 are listed as being under state protection, such as red deer, reindeer, elk, Mongolian gazelles, roe deer, river deer and pterosaur. Wild plant species number about 1,000, of which 600-odd yield ingredients for Chinese medicines, such as licorice, Astragalus membranaceus, Radix scutellariae, radix paeoniae rubrathe, Ephedra sinica, Platycodon grandiflorum and apricot kernel.

Mineral resources abound. Within the region there are over 120 mineral species and over 4,000 working mines. A total of 42 mineral reserves rank among the top 10 in the country. More than 20 rank in the first three in the country, and reserves of niobium, zirconium, rare earth, iceland spar, olivine and slate are the biggest in the whole country. Baiyunerbo near Baotou City boasts the largest iron mine in Inner Mongolia, the richest niobium mine in the country, and the largest rare earth mine in the world, with its rare earth reserves accounting for 90 percent of China's total. Inner Mongolia has several times the total proven reserves of rare earth in other parts of the world. The proven reserves of coal amount to 194 billion tons, making the Region second only to Shanxi Province, the ``land of coal'' in China, in this respect. The Region's reserves of natural soda rank first in the country. Apart from the above, more than 30 species of other non-metal minerals, such as refractory clay, verxite, jadeite and petroleum, also occur in large quantities.

Inner Mongolia has unique and rich tourism resources, including two important tourism routes. The national tourism route encompasses Hohhot, Ulanqab, Baotou, Xiangshawan and the Mausoleum of Genghis Khan, and the autonomous regional route embraces Manzhouli, the Chen Barag Banner (county) prairie, Hailar, and the Xilin Gol League prairie. Tourists can visit many historical sites, including the tomb of Wang Zhaojun, symbolizing the unity of China's ethnic groups. Particularly popular with tourists are winter sleigh rides and summer horseback rides. Famous historical relics in Inner Mongolia include the murals in the Han tombs at Horinger County, the Grotto Temple of the Liao Dynasty (916-1125) at the Haozhao Monastery, the Daming and White pagodas, Group of Five Pagodas, and the Meidaizhao, Dazhao and Wudangzhao temples.

History Relics of the Dayao and Hetao cultures date back to the Old Stone Age. The earliest recorded nomadic tribes in the Inner Mongolia region were the Xianyun, Xiongnu, Linhu, Loufan and Eastern Hu, which flourished during the Qin and Han dynasties (221 B.C.-220). At the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589) the Tujue Khanate arose here. In 947 the Qidan people set up the state of Liao, as a rival to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) in Central China. The Mongols, called ``Mengwu'' in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), were a branch of the Shiwei tribes under the Eastern Hu clan. The tribe arose east of the Ergun River in the 12th century. In 1206 Temujin (Genghis Khan) established the Great Mongol Kingdom, and in 1271 Kublai Khan, the former's grandson, conquered Central China and founded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, however, the Inner Mongolia region collapsed in war and chaos. Later, after some years of isolation, the eastern region of Inner Mongolia was put under the control of three Wuliangha border defense commands in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the second half of the 15th century Dayan Khan, a descendant of Genghis Khan, unified the Mongols again. Later, Altan Khan, the grandson of Dayan Khan, once conquered the western part of Inner Mongolia and established close political and economic relations with the Ming Dynasty. Several khans after Altan were given the title of Shunyi Prince by the Ming emperors. During the early half of the 17th century the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), arising in Northeast China, conquered the Mongolian tribes south of the deserts as the first step in their unification of the whole of China. The Qing Dynasty divided the major areas of Inner Mongolia into six leagues and 49 banners, appointing hereditary rulers of each from among the local aristocracy. These were called the ``Outer Mongols.'' In addition, eight banners, including Solon and Baerhu, in the present Hulunbuir League, eight banners in former Qahar and Tumd Banner around Guihua City were called the Inner Mongols. Since the early period of the Qing Dynasty, however, Mongols south and north of the great deserts have been respectively called Inner Mongolians and Outer Mongolians as well. That is the origin of the name Inner Mongolia. At the end of the 19th century, with the decay of the Qing Dynasty, Outer Mongolia and the western part of Inner Mongolia fell under the control of Russia. Meanwhile, the eastern part of Inner Mongolia was seized by the Japanese imperialists. During the Republic of China (1912-1949), especially after the Japanese imperialists launched the September 18 Incident and started its all-out invasion of China, most of Inner Mongolia fell to Japan step by step. But under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, people of various ethnic groups, mainly Mongolians and Hans, finally set up China's first autonomous region -- the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region -- on May 1, 1947, after many years of bitter struggles and bloody sacrifices. The present divisions and boundaries of the Region had been decided by 1956.

The present administrative divisions of Inner Mongolia are: Four cities directly under the regional government -- Hohhot, Baotou, Wuhai and Chifeng; and eight leagues -- Hulunbuir, Hinggan, Jerim, Xilin Gol, Ulanqab, Ih Ju, Bayannur and Alax. Under the leagues and the cities directly under the regional government are 100 banners, counties and districts, including three ethnic minority autonomous banners -- the Oroqen, Ewenki and Morin Dawa Daur -- as well as 13 county-level cities. And finally under the banners, counties and districts are sumu (an administrative division peculiar to Inner Mongolia), townships and towns, numbering 1,565 in total. The regional capital is Hohhot, the center of politics, economy and culture for Inner Mongolia.

Ethnic Groups and Population Inner Mongolia is populated by many ethnic groups, with Mongolians ranking first in number. According to the fourth national population census taken in 1990, there were 49 ethnic groups in the Region, including the Mongolian, Han, Daur, Ewenki, Oroqen, Manchu, Hui, Korean, Russian, Xibo and Zhuang -- a total population of 21.626 million. This figure breaks down to 3.375 million Mongolian, 3,102 Oroqen, 23,367 Ewenki, 71,000 Daur, 192,800 Hui, 456,000 Manchu, 22,641 Korean, 4,374 Russian, 2,848 Xibo and 1,445 Zhuang. By the end of 1996 the population of the Region had increased to 23.066 million, with the Mongolian people accounting for 3.779 million.

Spoken and Written Language The Mongolian language belongs to the Mongolian branch of the Altaic family. As far back as the early 13th century the Mongolian people created their own characters. A Secret History of the Mongols, written in the mid-13th century and translated as A Secret History of the Yuan Dynasty in Chinese, is an important historical and literary work for the Mongolian people. Mongolian culture developed further in the Ming Dynasty. Outstanding works are the Golden History of Mongolia, An Outline of the Golden History of Mongolia and The Story of Heir-Apparent Wubashehong. Dictionaries and grammatical works were also compiled, including Principles of the Mongolian Language, Exegesis of Mongolian Words, A Collection of Mongolian Words and Phrases, A Mongolian-Tibetan Dictionary, etc. Both Mongolian and standard Chinese are commonly used in Inner Mongolia. Mongolia is taught or used in teaching in schools at all levels, broadcasting and TV stations employ Mongolian to present programs, and many publications, including newspapers and magazines, are printed in Mongolian.

Religions The major religions followed in the Region are Tibetan Buddhism (or Lamaism), Shamanism, Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Protestantism and Catholicism.

The People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region attaches great importance to carrying out the state's policy of freedom of religion and protects citizens' freedom and rights of religious belief according to law. All citizens, believing in, or not believing in religion, are equal politically; and they enjoy rights and perform duties on an equal basis.

Normal religious activities are protected by the state. There are more than 100 mosques, 24 Protestant churches, some 240 meeting halls, and 56 Catholic churches in Inner Mongolia. The major Lamaist temples include the Bailing Temple in the Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner, Gagyur Temple Monastery in the Xin Barag Left Banner, Wudangzhao Temple in Guyang County, Beizi Temple in Xilinhot and Meidaizhao Temple in the Tumd Right Banner. The local governments repare maintain and rebuild places of worship, and all religious people are permitted to participate in government administration and local affairs. In Inner Mongolia many religious personages have been elected as members of the National People's Congress, the people's congresses at all levels, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee and the Chinese people's political consultative committees at all levels.

Customs The ethnic minorities in Inner Mongolia have their own unique and distinct customs.

For Mongolian people in pastoral areas, beef, mutton and dairy products are their staple food, with the addition of grains and vegetables, while the people in farming areas mainly live on grains, with the addition of beef, mutton, milk and vegetables. Mongolian people usually wear long gowns, waistcoats and boots. Men like to wear blue, black or brown caps, while women tend to wrap their heads in red or blue cloth, decorated with agate, coral and green jade. Nomadic Mongolian people usually live in tent-like yurts, which are ideal for nomadic life as they keep the cold out, and are easy to dismantle, set up and transport. As to marriage, the bridegroom's side makes a proposal and presents the engagement gifts first. The bride's side prepares dowries and decides the wedding date. Then a wedding ceremony with Mongolian customs is held. Generally funerals involve cremation and burial of the dead in the ground. The Mongolians are warmhearted, straightforward and hospitable. Whenever a guest comes, the host will present him with a khatag (a piece of silk used as a greeting gift among the Tibetan and Mongolian peoples as a sign of respect), wine and snuff bottles. There are no hotels or inns on the vast prairie, but any local family will happily accommodate a stranger. They treat guests to milk tea, mutton and fermented mare's milk. All the family members, old and young, men and women, will sit around the guest to greet him and treat him as a family member. When sending him off, the host and hostess will escort him for a long distance to show him the way.

The Nadam Fair is a traditional Mongolian festival held between July and August every year, when the livestock are fat. Nadam in Mongolian means ``entertainment'' or ``games.'' At the Nadam Fair one can enjoy horse and camel races, wrestling, shooting, chess matches, and lively singing and dancing. The Nadam Fair is always full of people in their holiday best.

Marked Economic Grains Thanks to the support of the central government and the joint efforts of people of all ethnic groups, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has made tremendous achievements in its economic construction and has greatly strengthened its comprehensive strength since its founding 50 years ago, especially since the implementation of the reform and opening-up policies in 1979. In 1996 its gross domestic product (GDP) totaled 98.3 billion yuan, 50 times that of 1947, when the Region was founded. Primary industry produced 30.5 billion yuan in total value, secondary industry, 37.4 billion yuan-worth and tertiary industry 30.4 billion yuan-worth, representing 17.7-fold, 328-fold and 134-fold increases over 1947, respectively. Capital construction developed rapidly, including industrial and agricultural production, transportation and post and telecommunications. A large number of key projects have been completed in the electric power, coal, metallurgy, oil, chemical, textile and building materials fields. Inner Mongolia is now one of China's most important production bases of energy resources, raw materials, timber, animal husbandry, grain, oil and sugar. The Region's financial revenue has also increased greatly, reaching 9.322 billion yuan in 1996, an increase of 10.4 times over 1947.

Steady Growth of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Inner Mongolia's agricultural production achieved bumper harvests every year from 1987 to 1996. In 1996 grain output reached 15.353 million tons, 8.3 times the figure for 1947, and the average grain production per capita ranked third in China, realizing grain self-sufficiency. The output of edible oil was 814,000 million tons, and that of beet, 3.207 million tons, increases of 13.6 times and 12.8 times over 1947, respectively, and the average per capita production was among the national leaders. Thanks to stable development over the past decade, the Region's livestock sector broke the record of 60 million head in 1995 for the first time, and reached 66.977 million head in 1996, 7.2 times the figure for 1947. The livestock quality, number of animals for sale, meat production rate and quality of products also improved markedly. According to local statistics, Inner Mongolia's animal husbandry production ranked among those of the top 10 areas in China in terms of 24 production targets. The Region's output of six products, including sheep's wool, cashmere and camel hair cloth, ranked first in the country, and seven items ranked second, including amount of livestock on hand, and milk output.

Sustained, Rapid and Healthy Development of Industry Mongolia's industrial production was almost nil before the founding of the Region. There was an old saying, ``Its light industry only produces fur, and its heavy industry only produces horseshoes.'' Now an industrial system with complete categories and an excellent base has taken shape in Inner Mongolia, and a number of key enterprises and newly developed industrial departments have been set up successively, including energy resources, metallurgy, machinery, chemicals, electronics, wool spinning, sugar, paper, medical services and garments. In 1996 the local industrial value added stood at 31.3 billion yuan, a 15.1 percent increase over the previous year and the biggest increase for many years. The output of raw coal reached 73 million tons, ranking eighth in China; generated electricity, 32.04 billion kwh, rating 15th; crude oil, 1.55 million tons, ranking ninth; and steel, 43.18 million tons, rating ninth. So far, 95 enterprise groups have been established in Inner Mongolia, and a great number of famous-brand products with good reputations have been marketed at home and abroad, including Ordos and Luwang cashmere products, Shiqi suits, and the Yili series of cold drinks. The Ordos Cashmere Co., Ltd is a large group company with a total capital of 2.5 billion yuan, formed through annexation, combination and joint-stock operation, and realizing transprofession and transnational operations. The Baotou Iron and Steel Company, put into production in January 1959, is one of China's largest such enterprises, with an annual steel output of four million tons. It plans to produce six million tons of steel a year by the end of this century.

Great Strides in Infrustructure Projects The government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region pays great attention to developing communications and transportation. Over the past few decades highways and railways linking the Region with all parts of the country, and international and national airports have been constructed, thus forming a railway, highway and air transportation network with Hohhot, the capital of the Region, as the center. At present, the Region is run through by 14 main railway lines, 12 branch railway lines, and five local lines, totalling 6,100 km, in operation. The major lines are the Beijing-Baotou, Beijing-Tongliao, Baotou-Lanzhou, Harbin-Manzhouli, and Jining-Erenhot lines. The Manzhouli Station on the Harbin-Manzhouli Railway connects with the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia, which is one of China's channels to Europe. The Jining-Erenhot Railway, another passage to Europe, links the Region with Mongolia at Erenhot Station. The Baotou-Lanzhou Railway joins up with the Lanzhou-Urumqi Railway at Lanzhou, linking up with the second Eurasia Bridge, leading to Europe via Xinjiang and acting as an artery throughout north and northwest China. The Beijing-Baotou Railway, an important passage to the sea for western inland areas, joins up with the Datong-Mengyuan (Shaanxi) and Datong-Qinhuangdao railways at Datong in the east, and with the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway at Baotou in the west. The Beijing-Tongliao Railway, a link to northeast, north and northwest China, joins up with the railways in the northeast at Tongliao in the east, and with the Beijing-Baotou and Baotou-Lanzhou railways at Beijing in the west. Over 44,200 km of highways have been opened to traffic, including more than 34,000 km of rated highways. The Hohhot-Baotou Expressway, with a total length of 146 km, has opened to traffic. There are seven civilian airports in the Region, with over 30 air routes in operation, and six prefectures are open to air traffic. Inner Mongolia has air connections with all of China's large and medium-sized cities, Ulanbator in Mongolia, Chita in Russia, and Hong Kong.

The Region's posts and telecommunications are rapidly becoming modernized. There are already 32,000 km of first- and second-grade postal routes, including two domestic postal railway arteries -- the Hohhot-Hailar and Hohhot-Lanzhou railways, two international postal railway arteries -- the Manzhouli-Russia and Erenhot-Mongolia railways, and an international express vehicle postal route from Hohhot to Dzamynude in Mongolia. The rural postal routes extend 102,000 km. The postal services in the cities and towns above the banner and county level are completely under the control of computer systems now. By the end of 1996 the region's telephones totaled 1.1 million, and all cities and towns above banner and county level have program-controlled and digital long-distance telephone services, reaching all parts of the world directly. Pager service is available in all the cities and towns above banner and county level, and a pager service network has been established throughout the Region. Pager users number 179,300, and mobile telephone users, 52,900.

Great Success in Foreign Trade and Bilateral Economic Ties Since the initiation of reform and opening to the outside world, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has developed foreign economic exchanges and cooperation with 35 countries and regions, including Russia, Mongolia, Japan, Australia, Eastern Europe and Hong Kong by means of Sino-foreign joint ventures and cooperative production; and mutual benefits have been achieved. By the end of 1995 983 foreign-invested enterprises had been established in the Region, involving a total investment of 1.79 billion US dollars, 796 of them are Sino-foreign joint ventures, 80 Sino-foreign cooperative enterprises, and 107 solely foreign-funded enterprises. In 1996 the Region achieved a great breakthrough in the utilization of foreign capital, reaching over 300 million US dollars, making 1996 the year with most foreign capital absorbed by the Region. In the past few years the Region's total import and export volume has maintained an annual increase of 30.27 percent. In 1996 the total import and export volume reached 1.25 billion US dollars-worth, including 690 million US dollars-worth of exports and 560 million US dollars-worth of imports. Foreign economic technological cooperation has also developed rapidly. In 1996 alone the agreed capital of the foreign contracting projects and cooperative labor projects totaled 87.1 million US dollars-worth, and the turnover was 50.07 million US dollars-worth -- 14.9 and 13.3 percent increases over the previous year, respectively.

Bordering on Mongolia and Russia, and with 18 first- and second-class ports of entry distributed on its long borderline, Inner Mongolia enjoys a geographical advantage in carrying out the open-border strategy and developing economic and trade relationships with its foreign neighbors. The Manzhouli and Erenhot ports of entry are China's largest such in the inland areas. Manzhouli has an annual cargo-handling capacity of five million tons, and exports via there, can reach Eastern and Western Europe through Russia. Erenhot with an annual cargo-handling capacity of three million tons direct links with Ulan Bator, Moscow and European countries, goes to the sea through Tianjin and Qinhuangdao in the south and leads to Dalian, Yingkou and Jinzhou in the east. In recent years, Inner Mongolia's border trade has developed by leaps and bounds. In 1993 the Region's border trade volume with Russia and other Commonwealth of Independent States members, Mongolia and Eastern European countries reached 770 million US dollars-worth. Border trade has become an indispensable component in the Region's foreign trade.

In terms of bilateral economic cooperation, Inner Mongolia has developed cooperation in various forms and levels both with its neighboring bordering provinces and autonomous, and the developed coastal provinces, cities and regions, with multi-layer economic technologies as main contents. In 1996 a total of 1,166 contracts were signed for projects between the Region and other provinces, centrally administered municipalities and autonomous regions, with a total of over 220 million yuan received, exceeding the total actual capital from bilateral economic cooperation during the whole of the Eighth Five-Year Plan Period (1991-1995). Inner Mongolia has joined regional economic organizations such as the Joint Conference of Governors of Provinces and Mayors in North China, and the Joint Conference of the Directors of the Cooperation Offices of the Northeast China Economic Cooperation Region, developed a series of regional economic cooperation programs, and established long-term ``one-to-one'' support relationships with Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province.

Urban and Rural People's Livelihood Has Greatly Improved The people's livelihood in urban and rural areas in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has improved markedly along with its economic development. In 1996 the Region's total retail sales volume of social consumer goods, came to 33.34 billion yuan, as against 83 million yuan in 1947; the average per capita income of urban residents reached 3,102 yuan, and the average per capita net income of farmers and herdsmen, 1,602 yuan, representing 11.3-fold and 12.2-fold increases, respectively, over 1978. Both urban and rural dwellers have improved their living standards with their increased income and deposited the rest in banks. By the end of 1996 the total deposits of private citizens had reached 50.21 billion yuan. Now urban dwellers have turned their attention from simply getting adequate food and clothing to nutrition, and there is an increasing demand for foodstuffs high in protein, low in fat and rich in vitamins. The clothing consumption pattern has changed from single style and low prices to various styles and medium and high prices. Novelty and fashion are now the keynotes of garment demand. Many families have exercise equipment, pianos, video cameras, and hi-fis. Apartment buildings with complete facilities are replacing one-story houses, and the average per capita living space is about eight. Farmers and herdsmen have solved the problem of getting enough food and clothing, and many of them are now becoming fairly well-off. The small houses made of earth and the yurts which they used to live in are being replaced by spacious brick buildings. Over 95 percent of herdsmen have settled down in permanent settlements, and their average per capita living space is about 15 sq m. Modern household electrical appliances are now common in the homes of farmers and herdsmen, and some families with high income have motorcycles and cars.

Vigorous Cultural, Educational and Other Social Undertakings Before 1947 education for ethnic minorities in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was backward, and less than 15 percent of school-age children in Inner Mongolia attended school, and 95 percent of the population was illiterate or semi-illiterate. But now the enrollment rate of school-age children in the Region has reached 98.8 percent, primary education is compulsory and compulsory junior middle-school education is being promoted. In 1996 the Region had 109 kindergartens for ethnic minorities, with 24,000 children; and there were 2,785 primary schools with 498,000 students, representing 9.3-fold and 23-fold increases over 1947, respectively. There were 348 secondary schools, with 247,000 students, 88-fold and 472-fold increases over 1947, respectively. There was no higher education for ethnic-minority people in 1947, when the Autonomous Region was founded, but now there are 12 institutes of higher learning, and over 30 specialities using the Mongolian language in teaching. In 1996 students at ordinary institutes of higher learning numbered 38,191, including 8,498 Mongolian students, or 22.25 percent. Postgraduates numbered 682, including 216 Mongolians, 31.67 percent of the total postgraduates.

Science and technology are being integrated more closely with the economy. The Region's state-owned enterprises and institutions employ 479,000 professional technical personnel; and 47 research achievements have won awards from the state, and 2,147 research achievements have won prizes awarded by the Region since the beginning of evaluation in 1980. The popularization rate of science and technology has reached 15 percent, and the contribution rate, 30.5 percent. Cultural undertakings are developing vigorously. Experimental Mongolian- and Chinese-language satellite radio and television programs have proved successfully, and the coverage of broadcasting and television has reached 77.5 percent. Meanwhile, medical and health conditions have improved greatly. In 1996 the Region had 5,039 hospitals and clinics, 64,000 hospital beds and 104,000 medical staff -- increases of 91.6, 128 and 17.3, respectively, times over 1947.

The Population Has Developed in a Planned Way The population of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had traditionally been very unstable due to factors of war, and political and economic disturbances. The Region's population totaled 5.617 million, of whom Mongolians only numbered 832,000, in 1947. Since 1947, the population has increased greatly due to the stable social environment and economic development. In 1996 it had increased to 23.066 million, 4.1 times that of 1947. Of these, Mongolians numbered 3.799 million, 4.5 times the figure for 1947. The population density increased from less than five persons per sq km in 1947 to nearly 20 persons per sq km in 1996.

The national family planning policy is being carried out successfully in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The one-child policy is compulsory for Han Chinese, whereas Mongolians and other ethnic-minority peoples are allowed two children per couple. Education on healthy child bearing is widespread among the ethnic minorities with small populations, such as the Daur, Oroqen and Ewenki. As a result, the growth of the population has been brought under control, while the populations of the ethnic minorities are being developed in a planned way.

Geographic and Resource Advantages As mentioned above, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has unique geographic advantages: Bordering on or neighboring the eight provinces in North, Northeast and Northwest China, and Beijing and Tianjin, two municipalities directly under the central government, and situated between the economic zones in the eastern, central and western parts of China; and bordering on Russia and Mongolia, with a long borderline and many ports of entry. It is a leading member of the Bohai Rim Economic Zone and an important open region in north China. Using these advantages, it can take part in the activities of economic development groupings in Northeast, Northwest and Central Asia. As a bridge linking the domestic market with the international market, Inner Mongolia is playing more and more important role in China's economic construction.

Inner Mongolia is a major zone for agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry and energy resources, and, as such, it is an important supplier of resources for the Bohai Rim Economic Zone. These advantages have given the Region a solid foundation for vigorous economic development.

The Legal Rights Enjoyed by the Autonomous Region According to the Law on the Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities, the organs of self-government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region exercise the same powers and functions as the local state organs at the same level, and enjoy extensive rights of autonomy as follows: The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region enjoys the right to formulate autonomy regulations and special regulations according to its local political, economic and cultural characteristics; arrange for and use the Region's financial income on its own; and plan and manage independently local construction, educational, scientific, cultural and health undertakings. In addition, the state makes great efforts to train ethnic minority cadres, and technical and scientific personnel in both ordinary institutes of higher learning and special academies for ethnic minorities. It also supplies financial and material assistance.

Preferential Policies To promote the Region's economy, and the prosperity and development of the border areas, the central government favors the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with many preferential policies to further its opening up, such as approving the opening of ports of entry. In fact, the Hulun Buir League is described as ``China's experimental zone for the open policy in ethnic minority regions.'' The preferential policies applied to the coastal economic and technological development zones are applied equally to the open border cities such as Manzhouli and Erenhot.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has also worked out a series of preferential policies. Special benefits are given to investors as regards taxes, land use, etc. Details can be found in the Twenty Items of Preferential Policies to Encourage Foreign Investment. Also, in the Thirty-three Preferential Policies for Further Developing Bilateral Economic Cooporation explicit regulations are formulated on the preferential policies available for enterprises and institutions outside the Region coming to Inner Mongolia to develop agricultural, animal husbandry, forestry and mineral resources, assist the raw materials processing industry, new- and hi-tech industries and capital-intensive industries, undertake enterprise reform, the reconstruction of urban areas and the development of real estate, develope border trade, and engage in tourism, cultural, educational, health and sports projects. According to the Ten Incentives to Encourage Foreign and Domestic Investment, awards will be given to individuals and units who make outstanding contributions to introducing foreign and domestic capital, goods and materials, technologies, equipment, trade marks and projects.

Development Targets The objectives of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for the economic and social development are as follows: By the year 2000 basically achieving a relatively comfortable life for the people and establishing a basic socialist market economy system; and by 2010 doubling the 2000 GNP and working hard for the development of the Region so that it will be among the nation's leaders.

To realize the above objectives, the following five strategic measures are now being undertaken by the government of the Region:

-- Strategy for the resources sector. While concentrating efforts on the reform, reorganization and transformation of the industrial enterprises with the processing of agricultural and animal husbandry products as the main body, the Region has speeded up resources exploitation at a time when the state is accelerating the development of central and western China. It is also actively making use of state support for the Region's basic industries and infrastructure construction.

-- Strategy for development through opening up. Taking full advantage of its border position, abundant labor force and rich resources, the Region is actively and on its own initiative opening up markets and developing more fields to attract investment.

-- Strategy for science and technology. Inner Mongolia is deepening the reform of its science and technology sector, accelerating the application of scientific and technological achievements to production, and fully implementing the relevant policies on developing education as a priority field.

-- Strategy for human resources. The training of skilled personnel needed for the modernization construction of the Region is going full steam ahead; and an employment system and social environment in line with the reality of market competition, and which is full of vitality, are emerging to realize a rational distribution of human resources. Great attention is paid to making sure the potential of the existing personnel, is used to the full, and a great number of leaders, scientific and technical personnel and management personnel suitable for needs of the socialist market economy are being trained. In addition, talented personnel are being invited from outside the Region.

-- Strategy for promoting famous-brand products. Enterprises and society as a whole are being made more aware of the importance of products with leading brands, and the former are being guided to greatly improve their management quality. New products with leading brands are being developed to capture both domestic and international markets.