Table 1 Background information of the four counties in 2006

Population (thousand)

643

654

1016

860

Rural population (thousand)

557

544

825

598

Annual income per capita in rural area (Yuan)^a

2, 051

2, 328

3, 400

2, 889

Threshold for defining a poor family (Yuan/per person per year)

683

720

625

668

Number of medical facilities

387

210

1021

593