This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Goodkind, D. Articles by West, L. A. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

China's Floating Population: Definitions, Data and Recent Findings

International Programs Center, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington Plaza , Room 117, Washington, DC 20233-8860, USA, Daniel.M.Goodkind{at}census.gov

Loraine A. West

International Programs Center, Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington Plaza , Room 117, Washington, DC 20233-8860, USA, Lwest{at}census.gov

Among migrants in China, one of the most difficult groups to define and measure is that referred to as the floating population (liudong renkou ), a rapidly growing population concentrated largely in urban areas. But who belongs to this floating population? Although this term conjures up images of unsettled persons lacking permanent residence, it is often used ambiguously or denotes distinctly different groups of people. This paper discusses these ambiguities and identifies a variety of definitions that we think are pertinent. The clarification of these definitions leads to a discussion of major sources of data (censuses, migration surveys and household registration lists). Along the way, we review some key empirical findings on China's floating population. We also discuss factors that have affected recent trends and are likely to affect future trends in migration and the floating population.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. Airriess The Geographies of Secondary City Growth in a Globalized China: Comparing Dongguan and Suzhou Journal of Urban History, November 1, 2008; 35(1): 134 - 149. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. Chen Urbanization in China and the Case of Fujian Province Modern China, January 1, 2006; 32(1): 99 - 130. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Ji An Assessment of the Demographic Transition in China Journal of Developing Societies, March 1, 2003; 19(1): 1 - 25. [Abstract] [PDF]