Inner Mongolia: China's Biggest Spender on Ecological Protection

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, January 13, 2002

Inner Mongolia: China's Biggest Spender on Ecological Protection

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China in 2000 spent more on ecological protection than any other area in China.

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The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China in 2000 spent more on ecological protection than any other area in China.

Statistics show that over the year the central government channeled over 1.1 billion yuan (about 132 million U.S. dollars) into the area for this purpose.

Inner Mongolia is one of the country's regions which suffers most from severe desertification. Its existing and potential deserts cover 530 million mu (15 mu equals 1 hactare), taking up 30.5 percent of the total area of the region.

Over recent years desertification has expanded by 10 million mu(15 mu equals 1 hactare) per year greatly damaging the local ecological system and environment, causing frequent sand storms, droughts and flooding, which are threatening the safety of both the region and its surrounding areas.

Immense efforts have been made over the past few years to change this situation by building shelter belts in the north, afforestation, re-cultivating the land and other steps.

Last year, the central government spent 400 million yuan (about48 million U.S. dollars) for the protection of local natural forest alone, and has spent 2 billion yuan (about 240 million U.S.dollars) in the four years since the program's initiation.