China is a very diverse place with large variations in cul ture, language, customs and economic levels. The economic landscape is particularly diverse. The major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are modem and comparatively wealthy. However, about 50% of Chinese still live in rural areas even though only 10% of China’s land is arable. Hundreds of millions of rural residents still farm with manual labour or draft animals. Some 200 to 300 million former peasants have23 migrated to townships and cities in search of work. Generally the southern and eastern coastal regions are wealthier while inland areas, the far west and north, and the southwest are much less developed.