PIP: China's fertility rate is examined in the context of world demographic transitions. Regional and provincial patterns of fertility are compared with reproductive patterns in various countries. China's national fertility of 2.31 in 1990 distinguishes China as a low fertility country, but the 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities show wide variations in fertility. For example, fertility is 3.81 children in Tibet, 3.13 in Xinjiang, 3.03 in Guizhou and Hainan, and over 2.5 in eight other provinces. Total fertility is under 2.5 children in eighteen provinces. Twelve areas are in the late stage of demographic transition and have fertility rates ranging from 2.5 to 3.0. Four patterns are evident. 1) Fertility is lower than in other developed countries (1.42 in Shanghai and 1.44 in Beijing compared to 1.9 in Norway and 1.7 in Canada). 2) Fertility in China is equal to fertility in some developed countries (1.7 in Liaoning and 2.0 in Sichuan compared to equivalent fertility in the USA, Great Britain, and France). 3) Fertility in China is equal to low fertility in some developing countries (2.5 in Anhui compared to 2.5 in Sri Lanka). 4) Fertility in China is equal to medium levels in developing countries (2.57 in Fujian and 2.7 in Chile). The variations in Chinese fertility are conducive to development of a population policy that recognizes different reproductive patterns. Further declines are very difficult in low fertility areas such as Beijing, Shejiang, Tianjin, Hainan, and Henan. As one of the most populous countries in the world, China's emphasis on population control will take place in rural areas, which have 73.77% of total population (837 million), 71.93% of the country's fertile women, and 80% of the nation's births. 44.49% of rural women have one child each, and 22.08% have more than one child. There are 19 provinces out of 30 that have a fertility rate of over 2.2, including Hainan and Guizhou that have a fertility rate of 3.0. These provinces have 59.24% of the nation's population, or 57.98% of the fertile women and 66.39% of births. The national fertility rate would be greatly affected by changes in the fertility rate in these 19 provinces.