First-grade arable land as
percentage of total cultivated land area, 2000
Source:
Institute of
Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese
Academy of Sciences
Note: Index was calculated and mapped with the RAPS-China tool. A
value of 0 is equivalent to the national average; positive values
indicate higher than average percentage of first-grade arable land,
negative values indicate lower than average percentage of first-grade
arable land. The map displays standardized values.
The highest proportion of
first-grade arable land can be found in Shanghai. There is little
cultivated land in this province but the quality is very high.
First-grade arable land is also common in Heilongjiang, Hunan and
Jiangxi. Most of the North China Plain, especially the northern part,
has large areas of cultivated land; but the quality is not optimal.
For instance, the proportion of first-grade arable land in Hebei
province is below the average of China.