TNAG-1343-FCO40-1773-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 144

1.

·

CONFIDENTIAL

Land Area and Population

(a) Land Area

(b) Population (1982)

(c) Population Growth Rate (1975-79)

9,596,961 km2

1008.2 million

1.4% p.a.

2.

Economic

:

(i) Gross National Product

(a) Total

(b) Growth Rate (1970-79)

(c) Position in Total GNP League Table

(d) Per Head

(e) Position in Per Head League Table

1980

283,250 US$ mill

4.8% p.a.

8 (of 174)

290 US$

151 (of 174)

(ii) Overseas Finance

(a) Exchange Rate

1978

1979

1980

1981

Curren

£1 Sterling =

3.2317

3.2991

3.4857

3.4576

Yuan per

Yuan

US$

1.6826

1.5550

1.4984

1.7050

(b) Balance of Payments

1978

1979

1980

1980

USS MI

Exports

9,607

13,658

18,4

492

22,027

Imports

-10,745

-15,619

-21,243

-20,292

Invisibles and

Transfers (net)

360

356

276

369

Current Account

-778

Capital Account

30.

-1,605

2,208

-2,475

2,104

2,701

-701

Overall Balance

-748

603

372

1,924

(c) International Reserves

1978

1979

1980 1981 USS MILL

Total Reserves

(excluding gold)

1557

2154 2545

5048

Months of Imports

covered

1.57

1.47

1.28

2.56

(iii) Foreign Trade

(a) Main Exports

Crude Oil

Cotton Cloth

Cereals

Aquatic Products

Canned Fruit

1978

1979

F

9.8

15.7

6.0

3.6

5.3

2.2

2.6

1.6

2.1

1.6

CONFIDENTIAL