Regional disparities, particularly between the coastal and interior provinces, continue to be some of the most noticeable characteristics of China's economic development. Regional gross domestic product (GDP) data for 2009 show that of China's 31 provinces and municipalities, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shandong (three eastern coastal provinces) continued to have the three highest GDPs, which combined account for one-third of the country's total GDP. The interior regions have enjoyed a greater growth rate in the past year than in previous years, but the large gap between the interior and coastal regions will continue to pose economic and social risks to the country's development.
