Mainland urbanization rate exceeds 50%: report  

中科院报告：中国内地城市化率已突破50%

此间最新出炉的一份报告显示，2011年的中国内地城市化率首次突破50%，达到了51.3%。这意味着中国城镇人口首次超过农村人口，中国城市化进入关键发展阶段。

Beijing (CNS) -- The Chinese mainland's urbanization rate reached 51.3 percent by the end of 2011, according to China's New-Urbanization Report 2012 released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Wednesday.

The report, sponsored by the Sustainable Development Strategy Research Group under the CAS, noted that China's urbanization has entered a critical period, now that urban residents outnumber rural ones.

The breakthrough will certainly lead to profound social change, so it represents a landmark in China's development process, the report said.

It also reminds people of the challenges brought about by urbanization, such as environmental protection.