China's National Bureau of Statistics announced earlier this week that the world's most populous country has reached the point of being more urban than rural. The agency announced that 51.27% of China's 1.35 billion people live in urban areas, which represents a total urban population of 690.8 million. The average annual income in urban areas is 21,810 yuan ($3,444) while the income of rural dwellers is 6,977 yuan ($1,102). Around 2030, China's population is expected to peak at about 1.4 billion and then begin declining.
China's Urban Population Now Exceeds 50% of Population
By Matt Rosenberg, About.com GuideJanuary 21, 2012
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652 million rural Chinese? One has to wonder what they do? That number is about the total world population of only 500 yeas ago. I suppose they still use many water buffalo? – about the most inefficient energy source. European farm output took off like a rocket when the horse collar was introduced replacing oxen. This energy change started a huge increase in the rate of European population growth before coal and the steam engine.
I can’t begin to understand how China’s population will begin to decline after 2030…… How is this a fact?
Yes, you are right. Have lived here for 9 years and finally heading home toi the usa this week. Very crowded cities but also have seen the rural areas which are just as great. People are still hoping to live in bigger cities where there are more jobs if one is lucky to get one. Nothig bad about living here.
Jesus,
China has been conducting a One Child Policy for years. They reward parents for only having one child and punish parents that have more than one.
You must have an average of 2 children per set of parents to keep the population even (one child replaces one parent when they die; two parents with one child leaves one spot open). If you only have one child replacing two parents, the population will eventually be cut in half (assuming that every single family follows this rule).
Jesus,
Also, for whatever reason when a nation becomes more and more developed the population begins to level off and then starts to decrease. We are seeing this in Russia’s population as well as Japan’s. We would also be seeing this in the US, but due to our high immigration rate we are still seeing population growth.
to be honest how could China reduce its population when its known to have the highest population…