1. Agriculture and Rural Economy

Agriculture advanced steadily. In 1999, the total value of the agricultural product of the whole province was 120,094 million yuan, increase by 3.5%. The total output of food amounted to 28,923 thousands tons, increase by 2.6%;output of oil - bearing crops was 1,302 thousand tons, up by 7.8%; of cotton, 177 thousand tons, or up 8.l%; flue - cured tobacco l24 thousand tons, producing a decrease of 13 .5 %; tea 56 thousand tons, having decreased by 3.8%; fruits 1,730 thousand tons, having increased by 58.6%. The number of the butchered pigs amounted to 58,118.7 thousand, having decreased by 2.6%. The raise of plant-eating animals got further development. The number of the butchered cattle amounted to 1,215.9 thousands, having increased by 8.9%; the number of butchered goats 4,631.3 thousands, having increased by 6.9%. Aquaculture advanced steadily. The aquatic product amounted to 1,245 thousand tons, having increased by 6.6%. The afforestation area reached 27 .4 hectares, having decreased by 4.2%, the area of improved low - productive forest reached 33.3 hectares; the area of young trees reached 227.7 hectares, the percentage of forest cover reached 51.4%.

The adjustment of agriculture structure quickened. The area of early rice was reduced 1,555 thousand mu, the cotton area 613 thousand mu, and the flue - cured tobacco area 202 thousand mu. The corn area reached 4,202 thousand mu, creating an increase of 26.3%; the middle and high quality rice area reached 10, 978 thousand mu, creating an increase of 42.6%. The percentage of high quality of food crops reached 22%, and that of pigs 40%. The rural industrial enterprises marched forward steadily. According to the statistics by the provincial bureau of rural industrial enterprises, the total output of the rural industrial enterprises reached 416.630 million yuan, creating an increase of 11.2%.

The degree of agricultural industrialization was improved. In 1999, the province continued to stress the leading and radiation effect of powerful excellent enterprises and got good result. The realized value of the 22 leading enterprises of the province reached 66, 200 million yuan, and their realized profit 200 million yuan, having increased 5 .5% and 33 .3% respectively. The development of agricultural product was greatly improved. In 1999, there were 49 markets of agricultural trade whose transaction total exceeded l00 million yuan.

The construction of rural fundamental facilities was strengthened and the ability to resist and prevent natural disasters was promoted. The fields which enjoyed effective irrigation reached 2, 681,110 hectares, having increased 0.2%; the total agricultural mechanical motor power reached 20,070 thousand kw, having increased 9.9%. 3.720 million yuan was put into the construction of the rural water conservancy, and 540 thousand projects were finished and 817 kilometers of   banks were improved.

People's living standard was steadily raised and the aid-the-poor project got new progress.31

counties, 506 towns and 11,006 villages reached fairly well - off level. 1,200 million yuan was spent on the aid - the - poor project, at the end of 1999 the number of the population in poverty reduced 600 thousand.

The major problem in agriculture and rural economy was the comparatively low profit of agriculture, the great difficulties of transferring the surplus rural laborers and the slow increase of peasants' income.

2.Industry and Construction

Industrial production enjoyed moderate increase. In 1999, the total industrial output reached 455,634 million yuan creating an increase of 11.5%. The output of the state - owned industry reached 86,087 million yuan, creating an increase of 6.7 %; the output of the collective industry reached 27,017 million yuan, having increased 7.9%; the output of the industry of other sorts reached 33,903 million yuan, creating an increase of 24%. Affected by the increase of investment, the heavy industry advanced quickly. The output of the heavy industry reached 91, 725 million yuan, having increased 13.3%; the output of the light industry reached 55, 282 million yuan, creating an increase of 6.6%. The rate of industrial production and marketing was improved, the rate of production and marketing of state - owned enterprises and the non - state interposes whose yearly marketing value was over 5, 000 thousand yuan reached 98.14%, having increased 0.74 %.

New progress was made in the adjustment of industrial structure. To fit the demands of the market, some of the major industrial products enjoyed an increase and some received a decrease. The output of cement reached 22,738.5 tons, having increased 15.8%; steel 3,065 thousand tons, having increased 13.3 %; iron 3,249.3 thousand tons, having increased 16.l%; finished steel 2,887. 9 thousand tons, having increased 14 .6%; ten kinds of non - ferrous metals 665.7 thousand tons, having increased 14%; electric power generation 33, 251 million kw/h, having increased 0.l %; cigarette 2,293.9 thousand boxes, having decreased 1.3%; fertilizers and chemical pesticides increased 4.6% and 2.3 % respectively. Effective enterprises were strongly supported and many small lowly effective enterprises were closed or rectified.

Reforms in enterprises were carried on. In 1999, our province practised a series of reforms such as annexation, bankruptcy, turning debt into shares and establishing modern enterprise system in the industry fields. The 22 key corporation groups of the province run well and their output value reached 28,347 million yuan, creating an increase of 12 .8%, and their realized tax reached 3,206 million yuan, having increased 19.1%. 70 enterprises were declared bankrupt. Progress was made in the rectification and restructuring of the 1, 710 small state - owned enterprises.

The current major problems in industrial economy are the imperfection of the enterprise management system, the slow upgrading of the industrial products and the low competence to compete in the market.

The Construction industry witnessed increase. The total output value of the building enterprises of and above grade four reached 34, 909 million yuan , creating an increase of 6.7%; the housing construction area reached 50 , 770 thousand square meters , having increased 0 .2%; the finished housing construction area reached 24 , 560 thousand square meters , creating an increase of 3 .1%.

3. The investment in Fixed Assets

The investment in fixed assets kept increasing. In 1999, the investment in fixed assets of the whole province reached 95,747 million yuan, having increased 12.8%. In terms of different economic entities, the investment of state - owned units ant other type of units was 604, 56 million yuan, increase by 14.2%; that of cottective units and urban and rural residents was 345,84 million yuan, up 8.3%. Analyzed by purposes, investment in capital construction was 39, 014 million yuan, having increased 13.7%; that in technical updating and transformation reached 14,406 million yuan, creating an increase of 24. 7%; the investment in the development of real estate 5, 620 million yuan , having increased 33 .4% . The investment in the local projects reached 32,420 million yuan, having increased 3.3%; the investment in the central projects 25, 100 million yuan, having increased 38.55%. The newly - started projects in the year reached 4,184, having decreased 16.8 %the finished projects in the year amounted to 4,309, having increased 5.5%.

Preference continued to be given to the investment on the primary industries and the fundamental facilities. The investment on agriculture, electric power, traffic, Post and telecommunication, and storehouse amounted to 49.7%, having increased 2.3%. The investment on agriculture amounted to 240 million yuan, having decreased 20.3%; the investment on traffic and transportation, storehouse, post and telecommunication 21, 180 million yuan, having increased 13.3%; the investment on geological investigation and water conservancy management 3, 840 million yuan, having increased 23%. The investment on electric power, gas, water production and supply 7, 540 million yuan, having increased 40.7 %.

Key projects progressed smoothly. The key projects under construction of the whole Province amounted to 33, and 20, 200 millions yuan of investment (102% of the year' s plan) was finished. Changsha -Changde expressway and the north - western section of Changsha ring expressway were finished and opened to traffic; the post and telecommunication ''718 project'' newly fixed 400 thousand main telephone lines .the storing capacity of the national food storehouse increased 1, 270 thousand tons, the projects of bring Dongting Lake under control, city flood - prention, electric network construction, Jing - Zhu express and Yiyang power Plant progressed smoothly.

4. Traffic, post and Telecommunication

Traffic and transportation provided guarantee for economic construction. The tonnage mileage of the whole province reached 96,088 million ton/km, having decreased 1. 8% railway tonnage mileage reached 62,514 million ton/km, having decreased 4.3%; highway tonnage mileage reached 26, 480 million ton/km, having increased 3.2%; water tonnage mileage reached 7, 050 million t/km, having increased 2.3 %; aviation reached 12 million ton/km, having decreased 33.3%. The volume of passenger transportation reached 65.97 million pereon/km, having increased 8%. The volume of passenger transportation by railway reached 35,344 million person/km, creating an increase of 10. 6%; the volume of passenger transportation by highway reached 29, 380 million pereon/km, creating an increase of 5%; the volume of passenger transportation by water reached 365 million pereon/km, creating an increase of 4. 6%; the volume of passenger transportation by air reached 828 million pereon/km, creating an increase of 7 .8%.                

Post and telecommunication developed quickly. In 1999, the popularization rate of telephone of our province reached 6 .8%, creating an increase of 0.3%. By the end of the year, the number of the mobile phone users reached 12, 231 hundreds, having increased 59.5%; the number of beep - caller users reached l,930 thousands , having decreased 4.8%. The telephone exchange system volume reached 57, 644 hundreds, having increased 28.2%. The computer network developed quickly, the number of Internet users reached 89.1 thousands, having increased 560%. The realized business value of post and telecommunication reached 9,032 million yuan, having increased 18.3 %.

5. Domestic Trade and Market Price

In 1999, the policies of the central government to activate consumption got good result, the consumption market started to show rising tendency. The realized total of retail sales of consumption goods reached 122,921 million yuan, having increased 9.2%. The total of the retail sales of consumption goods of the cities reached 62,577 million yuan, having increased 12.4%; the total of the retail sales of consumption goods of the rural markets reached 60,344 million yuan, having increased 6.l%. The total of the retail sales of consumption goods of the state - owned enterprises reached 20,920 million yuan, having increased 0 .2%; the total of the retail sales of consumption goods of collective enterprises reached 16,080 million yuan, having increased 8.9%; the total of the retail sales of consumption goods of the non – stateowned enterprises reached 85,804 million yuan, having increased 11.6%. The proportion of the value of the non- state - owned enterprises reached 69.8%.

The market price remained low. The total retail prices of commodities decreased by 2 .4% (2. 2% in the cities and 2.5% in the countryside). The consumer price went up 0.5% (the city residents' consumption price went down 0.4% and the rural residents, consumption price went up 1.4%. The price of the agricultural production means went down 4.7%, the purchase price of agricultural products went down 8 .9%, the factory price of industrial products went down 1.5%, the price of the fixed assets investment went up 0.5%. Among the prices of residents' consumption, the price of food went down 2.l%, the price of clothing went down 3 .9%, the price of household facilities and necessities went down 1.4 %, the price of medical things went down 0.1%, the price of traffic and communication means went down 4%, the price of education and entertainment instruments went down 3.8%, the price of housing went down 0.9 %, the price of services went up 16.5 %.

6. Foreign Trade and Tourism

Foreign trade export stopped falling and started to show a strong tendency of increasing. In 1999,with gradual withdrawal of the influence of the Asian financial crisis and the economic recovery of the surrounding countries, and raise the tax - refund on exports, the export falling tendency of our province started to make a turn from September 1999. According to the statistics by the Custom, the total export of our province reached 1,282 million yuan, keeping a balance with the last year. On account of the reduce of the import tariff, the import demands went up strongly, and the total import reached 674 million yuan, having increased 35%. The total of export and import reached 1 9 956 million yuan, having increased 9. 8%.

Foreign economic cooperation got new progress. The contracts of undertaking foreign projects, labor cooperation and designing and consultation reached 653, and contract fund reached 126 million yuan, the realized total reached 122 million yuan, having increased 15.7%. The exported labor reached 2,062 person times, having increased 10.4%.

The availability of foreign funds glided down. The contract foreign funds amounted to 919 million dollars, having decreased 38.8%; the actually used foreign funds reached 1,069 million dollars, having decreased 15.2%, the loans from abroad reached 350 million dollars 9 having increased 24.6%, the direct investment by foreigners reached 654 million dollars, having decreased 20%.

Tourism showed a tendency of quick development. In 1999, encouraged by the holiday economy, the tourism advanced fast. We received 386 thousand foreign tourists, having increased 8.6%; the domestic tourists reached 43,000 thousand person times, having increased 2.4%; the income from he domestic tourism reached 10, 500 million yuan, having increased 20.7%.

7. Finance and Insurance

The run of finance was quite steady, and its support to economic growth was strengthened. The residents' saving increased slowly and the providing of loans increased largely. The deposit of all the financial organs of the province reached 253,980 million yuan, having increased 30,780 million yuan. The loan provided by the financial organs reached 240,800 million yuan, having increased 7, 760 million yuan. The loans were comparatively centered on the key projects. The capital construction and housing development got strong support. The loans for capital construction increased 5,800 million yuan, the loans for real estate development increased 3,270 million yuan, the two items together made up 46% of the total loans of the whole province, the loans for capital construction were mainly centered on traffic, communication, electric power, water conservancy, the transformation of the electric network and the city fundamental facilities. The financial reform got new progress and the financial order was quite good.

The insurance industry gained steady development. The insurance fee of all the insurance organs of the whole province reached 4, 534 million yuan, having increased 16.4%. The property insurance fee reached 1,302 million yuan, the life insurance fee reached 2, 868 million yuan, having increased 2.7% and 22.6% respectively. The compensation payment reached 1,082 million yuan, in which the compensation payment for property reached 737 million yuan, having decreased 22.7%; the compensation payment for life accidents reached 149 million yuan, having increased 88 .6% ;

8. Science, Technology and Education

The scientific and technological procession grew further. By the end of 1999, there were 194 scientific research institutes at or above county level, among which there were 179 institutes for natural science research, and two institutes for social sciences, 13 institutes for sci-tech intelligence and literature, and 24 key labs at the province level. The number of the personnel engaged in scientific research amounted to 89 thousand, having increased 2 .8%. Six scientists became academicians of the Chinese Academy of Science and Chinese Academy of Engineering respectively, the number of academicians in Hunan reached 23. There were 1,558 experts enjoying the government' allowance, the number of the provincial middle – aged and young experts reached 268, and that of the nation - level middle -aged and young experts reached 66.

The investment on science and technology increased. The expenditure on science and technology of the whole province reached 2,500 million yuan, having increased 3 .4%. In addition, the province government allocated 300 million yuan to inspire the development of high - tech projects.

Scientific research got new achievements. The number of the achievements of all sorts in 1999 reached 850. 20 programs won national award and 308 programs won provincial award. Great breakthrough was made in such projects as ''the improvement of the quality of the early rice'' , ''the research on the key technology of the comprehensive treatment of flood - prevention and disaster - reducing'' and ''the national rice project".

The high - tech industry showed a strong tendency of increase. The 650 high - tech enterprises realized output value of 33,200 million yuan, having produced profits and tax of 4, 910 million yuan, with a increase of 38.5% and 73 .5 % respectively. The five high - tech development gardens realized a total income of 22,690 million yuan, and high - tech product value of 20,430 million - yuan and profits and tax of 3 , 580 million yuan, having increased 38.8%, 36 . 6% and 5 1.1%  respectively .

The construction of sci - tech service system kept perfecting. The networks of sci - tech intelligence of the province were interconnected, and over 3, 000 organs of technological trade and centers of spreading agricultural technologies were established. The technical market was very active, 23, 874 technical contracts were signed having increased 34. 7% and the transaction value reached 2,466 million yuan, having increased 12%. 2, 469 contracts of technical development were signed and the funds spent on them reached 68, 015.8 thousand yuan. Through the technical market 2, 821 scientific and technological achievements wore transferred.

The patent work won new progress. There were 3, 500 applications for patent, having increased 8.5 %; 2, 364 applications were approved , having increased 45.7%.

The cause of geological survey and mapping got new development. Five new mines of commercial value were discovered. The comprehensive technical service got on a new step. The weather forecasting service fields were widened and the exactness of the weather forecasting were greatly improved. New progress was made in earthquake forecasting, measuring and hydrology.

Educational reform and development was pushed on steadily. The reform of university management system got new progress, nine universities were reconstructed through combination and adjustment. There were 51 universities, 77.2 thousand freshmen and 193.6 thousand students in all, having increased 8.5%, 52.9% and 23 .6% respectively. There were. 20 units receiving postgraduates, having increased 17.7%; there were 5, 585 postgraduates at study, having increased 22. 7 %. There were 157 middle professional schools whose students amounted to 272.6 thousands and 4, 502 ordinary middle schools whose students amounted to 3, 560. 5 thousands and 37, 143 primary schools whose students amounted to 7, 214 thousands, having decreased 5.6% and 6.2% respectively. 98 .8% of the school - age children went to school, having increased 0. l %; 95 . 2% of the primary school graduates went to middle schools.

9. Culture, Hygiene and Sports

The publishing cause got healthy development. In the province there were 88 artistic performance troupes, 124 cultural centers, 15 arts centers, 116 public libraries, 68 museums and 202 archive establishments. 2,032.3 volumes of archives were opened to the public. Two national medals for artistic and acrobatic performance were won. In 1999, 825, 960 pieces of newspapers were published, having increased 8.9%; 122, 720 volumes of magazines were published, having increased 37 . 6%; and 307 million volumes of books were published.

The cause of broadcasting, film and television developed quickly. By the end of 1999, there were 16 TV stations and 11 radio broadcasting stations. The project of ''Making TV and radio broadcasting available in every village'' was carried out, 81. 1% of the population was covered by the radio broadcasting, having increased 2% and 90 .4% of the population was covered by television, having increased 2 .2% . The film National Anthem won three highest national awards, and the film That Mountain, That Man and That Dog won the award of ''highest public Popularity'' in Montreal Film Festival and two highest national awards. The teledrama Princess Huanzhu enjoyed high popularity in the whole country.

Hygiene cause developed steadily and the medical conditions was improved. In the whole province there were 10, 016 medical instructions and 262.2 thousand medical workers (including 2, 180 thousand medical technicians), having increased 3. l % and 4. 5% respectively. There were 145 .4 thousand beds for patients, having increased 0.6%. Every thousand people shared 1 .46 doctors, and every thousand people shared 2.23 beds.

The athletic cause got quite good achievements. In 1999, our province won six world championships and 17 gold medals, 3 silver medals and bronze medals in the important world competitions 33.5 gold medals, 30 silver medals and 35 bronze medals in the national sports games. Sports were further popularized among the masses, 32 . 8% of the population often took part in sports activities.

10. Population and Employment

The population natural growth rate went down slightly. According to the sampling survey, the birth rate in 1999 reached 11 .72%, death rate 7.12%, natural growth rate 4.6%. At the end of 1999, the total population of the province amounted to 65, 320 thousands i having increased 300 thousands over the year before. The population in the cities and towns amounted to 17, 240 thousands, making up 26 .4% of the total population, the population in the countryside amounted to 48,080 thousands, making up 73.6% of the total population. Birth controlling got good achievement. Unplanned birth decreased 10. 8%. The population of old age kept growing, at the end of the year the number of the people of 65 years and over reached 4, 840 thousands, making up 7 . 4% of the total population.

The wage of the workers increased, reemployment got some progress, but the pressure was still great. At the end of the year, the number of professional people amounted to 34, 730. 7 thousands, having decreased 0.4%. The average wage of the workers at post reached 7, 069 yuan, having increased 7 .8% .The workers off post increased in number. Last year the accumulated number of the worker s off post amounted to 1, 011 thousands, of which 486 . 5 thousand people found job again, the factual number of unemployed workers amounted to 524. 5 thousands, having increased 10 . 4%.

11. People' s Life and Environment Protection

The city residents income kept increasing. According to the sampling survey, per - capita disposable income in 1999 amounted to 5, 815 yuan , having increased 7% . The gap between the high - income families and the low - income families apparently widened. The proportion of the income of the highest income families to the income of the lowest income families turned from 4.5: 1 in 1998 to 4.86: 1 in 1999. The directions of the residents' expenditure changed, the expenditure on instruments, service, traffic, communication, housing, education and medical care increased. In 1999 the actual per - capita expenditure was 6, 109 yuan , having increased 6.7%. In the actual expenditure, the proportion of the consumption expenditure to the non - consumption expenditure turned from 76 .4 : 23 . 6 to 78. 6 : 21 .4 .

The peasants' income slightly increased. In 1999, the peasants' per - capita disposable income was 2,144.58 yuan, having increased 4% and actually 5.5% with the price factor taken into consideration. The peasant' income from the first industry decreased 47 .74 yuan, and that from the second and third industry increased 37 .07 yuan. The family management expenditure amounted to 645. 82 yuang having decreased 11.5 %, and the total life expenditure reached 1, 920. 15 yuan , having increased 1 . 6%.

The housing condition of both the urban and rural residents kept improving. In 1999, city resident' s per - capita housing area reached 11 square meters, having increased 1 .3 square meters; the rural resident ' s per - capita housing area was 29 . 88 square meters, having increased 1.1 square meters.

The systems of social ensuring were gradually established, and the social welfare and labor insurance developed quickly. There were 36.7 thousand beds in the welfare house, having increased 0.5 %; the social welfare houses received 27.9 thousand orphans and widows, having increased 0.4%. 6,450.8 thousand people received social relief, the money spent on social relief reached 638 million yuan, having increased 8 .2%. 27. 5% of the towns of the province established social guarantee network, having increased 6.6% over the year before. There were 237 commune service centers, having increased 11 .4%. Social medical insurance cause developed quickly, and the coverage of penalty and unemployment insurance expanded. 200 thousand workers of the cities and towns participated in the medical insurance, and 3, 456

thousand workers participated in unemployment insurance.

Environment protection was reinforced. The laws and regulations about environment protection were further perfected, the consciousness of environment protection was deeply rooted in people' s heart, and the environmental monitoring became more rigid and formalized. In order to keep an all - round monitoring of the rivers, lakes, air and serious pollution sources, 129 monitoring stations were established. 580 programs of treating environmental pollution were finished, having increased 220%; 115, 190 thousand yuan of investment on the treatment of environmental pollution was realized, having increased 190%; 140 smoke -controlling areas and 89 noise controlled areas were established, having increased 1 .5% and 3 .5% respectively. The natural protection zones of all sorts were widened. By the end of 1999, there had been 55 natural protection zones (including 5 nation - level ones and 23 province - level ones); the area of the protection zones reached 758 . 6 thousand hectares, having increased 4. 3%. The afforestation, the treatment of the industrial waste water and industrial solid wastes were greatly improved. But there was still serious contradictions between the environmental pollution and continuable development.

The public security department, the precuratorial department, the courts, the military police and People's Liberating Army in Hunan played very important part in keeping social stability and flood prevention and resistance, they together created a good environment for reform and opening, and economic construction. In 1999, the public security organs cracked 60.8 thousand criminal cases, having increased 28 .8%; the precuratorial organs placed on file for investigation 1, 796 cases of corruption and accepting bribes, among which 138 cases involved officials at or above county level and 763 cases involved over 50 thousand yuan. The investigation and treatment of economic cases retrieved a loss of 174 million yuan.

Note : Data from the Statistical Communique are tentative figures . Figures on the contrast bases of each ralative indicators are taken from annual statistical reports announced in Hunan Statistical Yearbook 1999.