China's banking regulator has drawn a map of financial services in rural areas to guide institutions to invest in regions with inadequate coverage.

The map, available at China Banking Regulatory Commission's website yesterday, covers all the basic economic and financial data of more than 30,000 towns, over 2,000 counties, 31 provinces and municipalities across the country.

"It shows the imbalance of financial resources between rural and urban areas, and rural financial services need an urgent improvement," a CBRC official said.

At the end of 2006, there were 111,302 financial outlets in rural areas, accounting for 56 percent of the country's total.

However, there are just 1.26 outlets on average available to every 10,000, compared with 2 in cities.

Per capita loans available were around 5,500 yuan in rural areas, compared with nearly 40,000 yuan in cities.

And financial services were more difficult to reach in townships, with an average of less than three outlets in each town.

About 3,300 small towns had no financial institution outlets whatsoever.

"The map also shows inadequate competence in the rural financial market," the CBRC official said.

The map is expected to provide detailed information for financial investors as well as for the regulator itself to better adjust its entrance requirement policies for rural financial institutions. The map data will be updated every half- year, the CBRC said.