Comparing Chinese provinces with countries

All the parities in China

Which countries match the GDP, population and exports of Chinese provinces?

China is now the world’s second-biggest economy, but some of its provinces by themselves would rank fairly high in the global league. Our map shows the nearest equivalent country. For example, Guangdong's GDP (at market exchange rates) is almost as big as Indonesia's; the output of both Jiangsu and Shandong exceeds Switzerland’s. Some provinces may exaggerate their output: the sum of their reported GDPs is 10% higher than the national total. But over time the latter has consistently been revised up, suggesting that any overstatement is modest.

What about other economic yardsticks? Guangdong exports as much as South Korea, Jiangsu as much as Taiwan. Shanghai’s GDP per person is as high as Saudi Arabia’s (at purchasing-power parity), though still well below that in China’s special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau. At the other extreme, the poorest province, Guizhou, has an income per head close to that of India. Note that these figures use the same PPP conversion rate for the whole of China, but prices are likely to be lower in poorer provinces than in richer ones, slightly reducing regional inequality.

Correction, February 25th: The original figure given for Hong Kong's exports included re-exports. This has been changed to refer to domestic exports only.

 

We also have an interactive country comparison to the US states

 

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Colonialist wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 2:46 GMT

Humbling. I had no idea the population of Canada fits cleanly in a small interior province, of little importance to westerners.

Can you do India?

nschomer wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 2:56 GMT

Hong Kong exports as much as Canada? I would think the raw material alone would place them below sea level in short order.

sora2000 wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 2:58 GMT

I cannot find Taiwan.

clusterz wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 3:44 GMT

@sora2000: since Taiwan is in the charts when relevant, i guess that you are just trolling.

Andromaco wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 4:17 GMT

It makes you see things from a different perspective. Here a similar map done for Mexican States. It shocks to find than certain states have large economies such as Peru, Vietnam or smaller but very developed such as New Zealand. http://datosynumeritos.blogspot.com/2011/02/si-los-estados-mexicanos-fue...

Wmbrennan wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 4:21 GMT

@nschomer

I believe a significant percentage of Hong Kong's exports originate in mainland China and just pass through Hong Kong on the way to foriegn markets, you will notice that all the coastal provinces have significantly higher export numbers than landlocked ones, even when the landlocked provinces have comparable GDP figures.

In order to make a fair export map you would have to include interprovincial trade in the export numbers.

Preston.Nix wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 4:41 GMT

Compare these to the States in the United States next.

Kevin Sutton wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 4:48 GMT

I was amazed that Hong Kong's 7 million people could have as many exports as Canada's 34 million, while being poorer at that... then I thought about that for a second.

I realise that we're comparing 2009 to 2010, but even still --How can Hong Kong's GDP be 2/3rds of their exports? Exports are in GDP aren't they?

Parelhas RN wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 5:23 GMT

U.S.C. United States of China

whenao wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 5:29 GMT

Hebei might have the same size of Colombia... but they'll never be as cool as we are.

huhahuha wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 5:35 GMT

Interesting. India's GDP per capita only equals that of China's poorest province, this must be heart-breaking for our Indian friends who frequent TE's web site.

Proletariet wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 5:39 GMT

Industriousness and the power/motivation made this possible. America be warned by this chart.

petergogo wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 6:02 GMT

it is really unbelievable for me to see that our Sichuan's GDP and export data are so brilliant among the other inland provinces.By the way,remenber to add Taiwan into the chart,editor!

manbearpiggy wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 6:25 GMT

@huhahuha
"Interesting. India's GDP per capita only equals that of China's poorest province, this must be heart-breaking for our Indian friends who frequent TE's web site."
That is your contribution to the discussion? Of course you also noticed that China's GDP per capita equals that of China's 3rd of 4th poorest province, while the richest provinces rank up there with the likes of Singapore and Qatar. Speaks volumes about the spread of the fruits of China's boom to its own citizens.

Equal world wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 6:56 GMT

It is hard to understand the objective of this chart. Was it signal a make-up call for India or portray how China maybe divided in future to prevent it becoming the world dominant economy?

shibakoen wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 7:14 GMT

@Preston.Nix: It's been done. I think 2 weeks ago.

OnTheContrary wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 7:18 GMT

I agree with some of the posters that we need to add Taiwan. Also it might help Tibet's GDP/Export numbers if you include the GDP/Export data of South Tibet aka Aruncha Predesh as well. I think it is unfaily included in India's GDP/Export numbers. Sorry India, your GDP number gonna suck after TE deduct the number out of South Tibet aka Aruncha Predesh. I trust Aksai Chin GDP/Export data are already included in Xinjiang, if not you need to include that. Wouldn't be fair to Xinjiang if we do it for Tibet.

Since you are at it, may as well include the data for Shenkaku/Diayou Tai Islands. This should bump up Fujian number but not by much. Every little thing counts. Oh oh, there is no argument here, Spratly Islands, Paracel Island and the whole South China Seas the EEZ of China, now that should really really help Hainan Island. On the other hand, should those SCS properties be a separate province altogether, seem unfair to give it all to Hainan Island, there are big enough.

I still think Mongolia should be part of China, the Chinese map look funny without Mongolia as it looks like someone has taken a big bite of a pie. Oh well, this will be a different topic some other time.

Before I forget, can we include Nepal and Bhutan? I think these two properties fit well with China's portfolio. Really, if you ask any ordinary Nepalise (Moaist) and Bhuthanese, they would have no problem joining China.

Legio Yow wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 7:58 GMT

Thank God this thread is about to be hijacked by nationalists. I don't know what I would do if we could have a civil discussion related to China.

huhahuha wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 8:12 GMT

@manbearpiggy:

Seems you can't even tell the difference between GDP per capita on PPP and on exchange rates. This graph shows GDP per capita based on PPP. China's GDP per capita is right in the middle between Fujian and Hebei.

Go back and take an Economics 101 class.

PL123 wrote:
Feb 24th 2011 8:21 GMT

huhahuha wrote: Feb 24th 2011 5:35 GMT .Interesting. India's GDP per capita only equals that of China's poorest province, this must be heart-breaking for our Indian friends who frequent TE's web site.
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@ huhahuha
You are a jealous type. India has democracy she do things Indian way. Stop critizing the Indians. :-)