Demography of China
Demographic situation in China: problems and consequences.
The demographic situation in People's Republic of China is one of the burning issues nowadays widely discussed in the global community.
Today, China's population is over 1.3 billion, the largest of any country in the world. So every 5th person in the world is coming from China. The population of China is greater than the entire world 150 years ago. Every year the population of China increases by 14 million people (the number of people in Texas or Chile). Each decade it increases by about 130 million (more than the population of Japan). About 39,000 new people are added every day. Cultural prerequisites for such family expanding tradition: The Chinese traditionally prefer early marriage, early child-bearing, and large families. Each married women usually raises between five and six children. The Chinese say: "...more children means great happiness".
Population Problems in China.
There is a great number of social, economic and environmental problems evoked by the demographic situation. * High unemployment rate. The competition to find a job is very high and as Chinese people saying themselves: “I’m frightened for my children`s future, China’s biggest problem is the population”. As a result a lot of people migrate to a bigger cities or to neighboring countries to seek for a job. * Water and food shortages. As the world's population increases, so too does its need for food and water - the two resources which are absolutely necessary to sustain life. The Asian giant has been warned by one of its own groundwater experts to either cut its food production or else face "dire" water levels, especially in the dry northwest plains. If not, aquifers will sink to "dire" levels not seen in 30 years. For example, the yellow river is dying up. The river has been overused and abused. Dozens of dams block its flow, drawing off huge quantities of water to grow cotton in the desert.
* Housing shortages.
The demographic situation in People's Republic of China is one of the burning issues nowadays widely discussed in the global community.
Today, China's population is over 1.3 billion, the largest of any country in the world. So every 5th person in the world is coming from China. The population of China is greater than the entire world 150 years ago. Every year the population of China increases by 14 million people (the number of people in Texas or Chile). Each decade it increases by about 130 million (more than the population of Japan). About 39,000 new people are added every day. Cultural prerequisites for such family expanding tradition: The Chinese traditionally prefer early marriage, early child-bearing, and large families. Each married women usually raises between five and six children. The Chinese say: "...more children means great happiness".
Population Problems in China.
There is a great number of social, economic and environmental problems evoked by the demographic situation. * High unemployment rate. The competition to find a job is very high and as Chinese people saying themselves: “I’m frightened for my children`s future, China’s biggest problem is the population”. As a result a lot of people migrate to a bigger cities or to neighboring countries to seek for a job. * Water and food shortages. As the world's population increases, so too does its need for food and water - the two resources which are absolutely necessary to sustain life. The Asian giant has been warned by one of its own groundwater experts to either cut its food production or else face "dire" water levels, especially in the dry northwest plains. If not, aquifers will sink to "dire" levels not seen in 30 years. For example, the yellow river is dying up. The river has been overused and abused. Dozens of dams block its flow, drawing off huge quantities of water to grow cotton in the desert.
* Housing shortages.