I get National Geographic magazine and the May 2008 issue is devoted to China. Here are some interesting facts.
 
China has 33% of the world's smokers and 3 million more Chinese start smoking each year.
 
45% of Chinese woman don't want to give up their careers to get married.
 
China uses nearly 1/3 of the world's steel - more than the United States, Japan and Germany combined.
 
China has the world's largest number of internet users - 220 million.
 
Number of privately owned cars per 1,000 residents (9)
In the United States per 1,000 residents (450)
Year China will pass the U.S. (2025).
That is a lot of cars to sell in China the next 17 years.
 
37% of China drivers did not know how to drive 3 years ago.

China has 450% more automobile accidents per mile than the U.S.
 
96% of Chinese pay cash for their cars.
 
China constructs 2 coal powered electric plants each week.

50% of U.S. kitchen appliances are made in China.

72% of U.S. shoes are made in China.
 
80% of U.S. toys are made in China.
 
9% of all Chinese goods sent to the U.S. end up on Wal*Mart shelves.
 
Here is a startling fact and it will continue to increase at the same rate:
 
  165,900,000 barrels of oil were imported to China in 1996.
  1,064,600,000 barrels of oil were imported to China in 2006.

That is a 642% increase of oil imports in 10 years.