No consistent and reliable annual data series on the urbanization level for provincial regions of China is available. Making use of urban population data from the 1982 and 2000 population censuses, this paper estimates an annual data series of the urbanization level for provincial regions using an estimation approach developed on the basis of a conceptual model of dual-track urbanization. Based on such estimated new urban data of provincial regions, the major trends of urbanization in Chinese provinces and the relationship between urbanization and economic development are analysed for the period 1982–2000.