ABSTRACT
Among recent migrants in China, one of the most difficult groups to define and measure is that referred to as the floating population (liudong renkou). This term is typically invoked to conjure up an image of unsettled persons lacking permanent residence, yet its meaning is often ambiguous and sometimes denotes distinctly different groups of people. The main aim of this chapter is to discuss these ambiguities and identify a range of important definitions. The discussion of these definitions entails a review of major sources of data (censuses, registration, surveys), the kinds of information such sources yield, and how the structure of that data affects measurements of the floating population. We also discuss factors that have influenced recent trends and that are likely to affect future trends in migration and the floating population.
