CHINA
AREA AND POPULATION
527
China proper, extending over 1,335,841 square miles, is divided into eighteen provinces. Considerable trouble and care has been taken by the Postal Administration to obtain an estimate of the population of China. Recourse was had to the assistance of the provincial officials, which in most cases was willingly accorded. Below is given a close approximation to actual figures. The footnote will show the limitations that have so far been imposed to a full record of the outlying districts:—
Province.
Area, square mile. 100,000
Province.
Area, square miles.
Anhui
54,826
Chekiang
36,680
Kwangtung... Shantung.
55,984
Chihli
115,830
Szechuen
218,533
Fukien
46,332
Yunnan
146,718
Hunan
83,398
Shansi
81,853
Hupeh Kiangsi.. Kiangsu Kwangsi
71,428
Shensi
....
75,290
69,498
Kansu
......
125,483
38,610
Honan
67,954
.....
77,220
Kweichow
67,180
Total...
1,532,819
Manchuria (Chinese estimate).
363,000
Population
Population
Peping District...
4,014,000
Hunan
22,000,000
Chihli
29,400,000
Kiangsi
24,467,000
Shansi
11,080,000
Kiangsu
26,920,000
Honan
30,831,000
Shanghai
5,550,200
Shensi
9,465,000
Anhui.
Kansu
5,927,000
Chekiang
Sinkiang
2,519,579
Fukien
Manchuria
19,290,000
......
Kwangtung
......
Shantung
38,000,000
Kwangsi..
Szechuen
76,713,000
Yunnan
Hupeh....
33,800,000
Kweichow
.....
37,000,000
·
26,578,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
8,800,000
9,839,000
11,216,400
TOTAL: 457,787,000
Not included in the above (no data available) :-
(a.) 1 Hsien and Mongolia in Peping District
(b.) 3 Hsien in Manchuria District.
(c.) Tibet.
The total number of foreigners in China was given in 1929 as 356,233, as compared with 302,153 in 1927, and 346,883 in 1926. Of these, 245,634 were Japanese, 73,476 Russian, 11,612 British, 6,966 Americans, 3,092 Germans, 2,353 Portuguese and 6,704 French. The total of Japanese residents has risen by over fifty per cent. since 1915. The Russians have increased by 300 per cent. in five years, but their numbers show a large reduction during the past few years (1929: 73,476). The Chinese Customs Returns for 1929 showed the number of commercial firms to be 8,194 as compared with 7,485 in 1927, 7,574 in 1926, 7,743 in 1925, and 7,286 in 1924. Japan headed the list with 4,792 followed by Russia with 1,128, Great Britain with 645, the United States with 547, Germany with 344 and France with 246.
The principal dependencies of China have been Mongolia, with an area of 1,288,035 square miles, and some 2,000,000 people; and Manchuria, with an area of 363,000 square miles, and an estimated population of 13,700,000. Outer Mongolia in 1912 asserted her independence of Chinese sovereignty, and obtained the formal recognition of Russia, but under the Russo-Chinese Treaty concluded in 1915 the suzerainty of China was recognised and the autonomy of Outer Mongolia agreed to. Towards the end of 1919 Outer Mongolia petitioned to return to the authority of Peking. The petition was granted, and the several treaties with Russia
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