People's Daily Online (Beijing) - The number of automobiles in Beijing ranks the highest in China and the rate of growth in car ownership in China's capital is faster than anywhere in the world, officials said.

By the end of 2010, the auto fleet in Beijing stood at 229.33 cars per 1,000 people, the highest per capita count on the domestic market, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The number of autos is expected to exceed 5 million by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the number of autos in Beijing has also been growing at an amazing speed.

The growth rate of the auto numbers in Beijing is unprecedented among all of the world's metropolises, said Cui Dongshu, deputy secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association.

Another trait of Beijing's auto market is the high percentage of private autos. They accounted for nearly 78 percent of all cars by the end of last year, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics, signifying a higher level of consumption in the city.