This article uses demographic and contraceptive use data from China's 1982 census, 1982 national fertility survey, and National Family Planning Commission to examine the country's patterns of reproductive and contraceptive behavior. Although China's fertility is near replacement level, it varies considerably among the country's subregions. One-half of all 15-49-year-old married fecund women who practice contraception are using intrauterine devices (IUDs); this means that about 70 percent of the world's IUD users are in China. Although China and the United States have similar overall contraceptive use rates, pronounced differences exist regarding the types of contraceptive methods used. Among China's subregions, contraceptive use rates vary considerably. The greater the percentage of minority groups in a subregion, the lower its contraceptive prevalence rate. The lower the proportion urban in an area, the greater the use of the IUD, except in areas with large numbers of minorities. Among the subregions, associations between urban/health variables and pill/condom use rates are strongly positive, and associations between urban/health variables and IUD use rates are strongly negative.
