Montalvo, Jose G.Ravallion, Martin2012-03-302012-03-302010Journal of Comparative Economics01475967https://hdl.handle.net/10986/4784China's rapid economic growth has been the proximate cause of the huge reduction in the incidence of poverty since 1980. Yet, the growth process has been highly uneven across sectors and regions. We test whether the pattern of China's growth mattered to poverty reduction using a new provincial panel data set constructed for this purpose. Our econometric tests support the view that the primary sector (mainly agriculture) has been the main driving force in poverty reduction. We note a number of similarities, and differences, with India.ENMeasurement and Analysis of Poverty I320Economic Development: AgricultureNatural ResourcesEnergyEnvironmentOther Primary Products O130Economic Development: Regional, Urban, and Rural AnalysesTransportation O180Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions: Consumer EconomicsHealthEducation and Training: Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty P360Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity R120Journal ArticleWorld Bank