In the early 1980s, the official urban poverty rate was about 2 per cent and the total urban poor population was 4 million. This decreased to about one million in 1989 according to official estimates, though unofficial estimates are much higher. For example, according to a 1994 survey by the Social Survey Centre of the Peoples University, there were then about 50 million impoverished urban residents (Hong Dayong, 1997). The number would be even larger if the estimate were to be based on the actual place of residence of individuals, rather than their registered permanent residence.