This book is an English language edition of the official China Statistical Abstract compiled by the State Statistical Bureau of the People's Republic of China (SSB). It offers essential basic information on China's economic and social development since 1978 and contains key statistics for principal sectors of the national economy be selected years since 1949 and by each single year after 1978. There are nine sections: General Survey; Population and Labor Force; Agriculture; Industry; Transportation, Postal and Telecommunication Services; Investment and Fixed Assets; Finance, Trade and Price; Peoples Livelihood; Education, Science, Culture, Public Health and Sports. The English languge edition is extensively annotated to assist users who are unfamiliar with China's economic and social systems. Also included are a valuable glossary of major indicators and a statistical communique from the SSB on China's 1987 economic and social development. Libraries, government agencies, or any business with interest in China will find China Statistical Abstract 1988 an invaluable reference. English language edition of the official China Statistical Abstract compiled by the State Statistical Bureau of the People's Republic of China (SSB). The English Language Editorial Board was responsible for the translation and annotation of this volume. The English Language Editorial Board is composed of representatives of the China Statistical Information and Consultancy Service Center, and affiliate of the SSB, and the China Statistics Archives, a research center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This is the fifth volume in a series of statistical annuals. The volumes so far published are China Statistical Abstract 1988, China Social Statistics 1988, China Trade and Prices Statistics 1988, and China Rural Statistics 1988.