Presentation
Henan has witnessed a rapid development in its economy since 2000, with the average growth rate even higher than the national average of 10%. In 2000, Henan’s nominal GDP was roughly reached 500 million RMB (US$ 78.57 million). In 2011, Henan’s nominal GDP was 3.20 trillion RMB (US$ 502 billion)1, making it the fifth largest economy in China, though it ranks only 19th in terms of GDP per capita due to its huge population, according to China’s Provincial GDP figures in 2011. Along with the economic development, the process of urbanization has been quickened. It is estimated that by 2020 the urbanization rate of Henan will reach 50% and that Zhengzhou metropolitan area will concentrate 8~10 million population, becoming the center not only for the province but also for the whole central and western regions. In this article, I will focus on the development of Zhengzhou metropolitan area since 2000 and its influence on the trend of Henan’s economy.
