How many people were born in China. Population of India and China: official data and projections

Since 1979, the Chinese authorities have adhered to the formula "one family - one child" in the demographic policy. Since the population of China was already approaching the billion mark in the middle of the 20th century, the authorities carried out a number of measures aimed at reducing the demographic growth. These included the promotion of late marriages and late childbirth, as well as public education in the field of family planning and contraception. But a key role in this policy was played by the ban on the birth of a second child. At first, measures to limit the birth rate were the most severe: up to the forced sterilization of violators and forced abortions in late pregnancy. In the 2000s, the government switched to a more humane policy, limiting itself only to fines, which, however, could reach astronomical amounts. A second child in China has long been an unaffordable luxury for many families. For unauthorized pregnancies, married couples had to pay the state amounts equal to several average annual incomes for the region. Also, children born outside the law were automatically deprived of their social rights. They had no access to preferential education and free medical care.

However, many couples who wanted to expand their family still found loopholes in the law. For example, pregnant women went to give birth in autonomous Hong Kong. Here, childbearing was not limited in any way, and the child still received Chinese citizenship. At some point, the Hong Kong authorities even had to impose a ban on the entry of pregnant women into the region who did not book a place in the maternity hospital in advance. Some parents registered their own children as adopted, which also made it possible to evade payments. AT countryside Families that broke the law simply stopped registering their children to avoid fines. As a result, the Chinese village was filled with masses of "non-existent" people for the state.

There is still a debate among economists and sociologists about how justified the restrictions imposed in the 1970s were. Then the leadership of the Communist Party justified the new measures by the fact that the Chinese industry in the future will not be able to provide everything necessary for the rapidly growing population. However, it was during this period that the country began to experience a natural decline in the birth rate, which usually occurs in all states as the population grows educated and well off. As a result, the ill-conceived reforms led to a demographic collapse.

Permission to have a second child

Changes in population policy began only in the 2010s. The fact is that the decline in the birth rate has led to a crisis in the system pension insurance. The number of non-working pensioners in the country was growing, while the number of able-bodied population paying tax deductions to the treasury was constantly decreasing. The country was rapidly aging, and the influx of young forces into science, public service, army and industry was also rapidly declining.

This situation required immediate government intervention. At first, the authorities tried to avoid drastic measures. In 2013, couples in which at least one of the spouses was the only child in the family received the right to have a second child in China. Also, in some rural areas, a law was implemented that allowed repeated births in those families where the girl was born first. However, on demographic situation it had virtually no effect. According to the forecasts of the authorities, after the new laws, more than two million babies should have appeared in the country. But in 2014, only 400,000 more people were born in China than in the past. For a state with a population of one billion, this figure was negligible.

After these failures, in 2015, China officially allowed all families to have a second child without restrictions.

Results of the new policy

By now expected population explosion this has not happened in China. The birth rate here is only 1.5 children per woman (the world average is 2.2), and in some megacities this figure is less than one. This paradox is associated with a number of reasons. Firstly, a generation that was instilled from an early age with the idea that two children in a family are unacceptable is not psychologically ready for a baby boom. Secondly, China is a country with a very poor environmental situation, among the youth there is a very large number of infertile people. Thirdly, for a long time, Chinese families practiced abortion in cases where it turned out that a woman was carrying a girl. Moreover, the killing of newborn girls has only recently stopped in rural areas of China. This has led to a decline in the number of women of childbearing age and a gender imbalance. Many men aged 20-40 simply cannot find a life partner and start a family.

Nevertheless, a certain demographic rise was observed in 2016, the symbol of which was the Monkey. According to the Eastern calendar, a person born under this sign will be lucky and smart. Despite the atheistic course promoted by the Communist Party, the Chinese have retained their ancient beliefs and take the Eastern horoscope very seriously. However, it is highly doubtful that a small increase in 2016 will somehow affect further population growth rates.

Most experts agree that the implementation of the new population policy by the Chinese Communist Party is at least ten years late. Very soon, the lack of a working-age population will lead to a decrease in industrial production, and this, in turn, leads to a crisis. With the economic depression, Chinese families will once again give up childbearing, this time voluntarily.

And China is growing rapidly every year. AT this moment The number of people inhabiting the Earth is about 7.2 billion. But, as UN experts predict, by 2050 this figure could reach 9.6 billion.

Countries of the world with the largest population according to 2016 estimates

Consider the 10 countries with the highest population in the world, as of 2016:

1. China - about 1.374 billion
2. India - approximately 1.283 billion
3. United States - 322.694 million
4. Indonesia - 252.164 million
5. Brazil - 205.521 million
6. Pakistan - 192 million
7. Nigeria - 173.615 million
8. Bangladesh - 159.753 million
9. Russia - 146.544 million
10. Japan - 127.130 million

As can be seen from the list, the population of India and China is the largest and accounts for more than 36% of the entire world community. But, according to UN experts, the demographic picture will change significantly by 2028. If now the leading position is occupied by China, then in 11-12 years there will be more than in China.

Within a year, each of these countries is projected to have a population of 1.45 billion. demographic growth in China will begin to decline, while in India population growth will continue until the 50s of this century.

What is the population density in China?

The population of China in 2016 is 1,374,440,000 people. Despite the country's large territory, China is not densely populated. Settlement is uneven due to a number of geographical features. The average population density per square kilometer is 138 people. Approximately the same figures for developed countries Europe such as Poland, Portugal, France and Switzerland.

The population of India in 2016 is less than in China, by about 90 million, but its density is 2.5 times higher and is equal to about 363 people per 1 square kilometer.

If the territory of the PRC is not fully populated, why is there talk of overpopulation? Indeed, the average data cannot reflect the whole essence of the problem. In China, there are regions where the population density per square kilometer is in the thousands, for example: in Hong Kong this figure is 6,500 people, and in Macau - 21,000. What is the reason for this phenomenon? Actually there are several:

• climatic conditions;
• the geographical location of a particular territory;
• economic component of individual regions.

If we compare India and China, then the territory of the second state is much larger. But the western and northern parts of the country are actually not populated. These provinces, which occupy about 50% of the entire territory of the republic, are home to only 6% of the population. The mountains of Tibet and the deserts of Takla-Makan and Gobi are considered practically deserted.

The population of China in 2016 is concentrated in large numbers in the fertile regions of the country, which are located in the North China Plain and near large waterways - Zhujiang and Yangtze.

The largest metropolitan areas in China

Huge cities with a population of many millions are commonplace in China. The largest metropolitan areas are:

• Shanghai. This city has 24 million inhabitants. It is here that the world's largest port is located.
• Beijing is the capital of China. It houses the government of the state and other organizations administration. About 21 million people live in the metropolis.

The million-plus cities include Harbin, Tianjin and Guangzhou.

Peoples of China

The main part of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire is the Han people (91.5% of the total population). There are also 55 national minorities in China. The most numerous of them are:

• Zhuang - 16 million
• Manchus - 10 million.
• Tibetans - 5 million

The small Loba people number no more than 3,000 people.

The problem of food supply

The population of India and China is the largest on the planet, because of which there is an acute problem of food supply for these regions.

In China, the amount of arable land is approximately 8% of the total territory. At the same time, some are polluted with waste and unsuitable for cultivation. Within the country itself, the food problem cannot be solved because of the colossal shortage of food. Therefore, Chinese investors are massively buying up agricultural and food production, as well as renting fertile land in other countries (Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan).

The leadership of the republic is directly involved in solving the problem. In 2013 alone, about $12 billion was invested in the acquisition of food industry enterprises around the world.

The population of India in 2016 exceeded 1.2 billion, and the average density increased to 363 people per 1 square kilometer. Such indicators significantly increase the load on cultivated land. It is extremely difficult to provide food for such a mass of people, and every year the problem is getting worse. A large number of Since the population of India lives below the poverty line, the state has to carry out a demographic policy in order to somehow influence the current situation. Attempts to stop the rapid growth of the population have been introduced since the middle of the last century.

And India is aimed at regulating the growth in the population of these countries.

Peculiarities of demographic policy in China

China's overpopulation and the constant threat of food and economic crisis force the government to take decisive action to prevent similar situations. For this, a plan was developed to limit the birth rate. An incentive system was introduced if only 1 child grew up in the family, and those who wanted to afford 2-3 children had to pay impressive fines. Not all residents of the country could afford such a luxury. Although the innovation did not apply. They were allowed to have two, and sometimes three children.

The number of men in China prevails over the female population, so the birth of girls is welcome.

Despite all the measures taken by the state, the problem of overpopulation remains unresolved.

The introduction of a demographic policy under the slogan "One family - one child" led to negative consequences. To date, the aging of the nation is observed in China, that is, there are about 8% of people over 65 years old, while the norm is 7%. Since the state does not have pension system care for the elderly falls on the shoulders of their children. It is especially difficult for older people who live with children with disabilities or do not have them at all.

Another major problem in China is gender imbalance. For many years, the number of boys has outnumbered the number of girls. There are about 120 men for every 100 females. The reasons for this problem are caused by the ability to determine the sex of the fetus in the first trimester of pregnancy and numerous abortions. According to statistics, it is assumed that in 3-4 years the number of bachelors in the country will reach 25 million.

Population policy in India

Over the past century, the population of China and India has grown significantly, which is why the problem of family planning in these countries has been taken up at the state level. Initially, the demographic policy program included birth control to improve the well-being of families. Among the many developing one of the first took up this issue. The program has been operating since 1951. To control the birth rate, methods of contraception and sterilization were used, which was carried out voluntarily. Men who agreed to such an operation were encouraged by the state, receiving a monetary reward.

The male population predominates over the female population. Since the program was ineffective, in 1976 it was tightened. Men who had two or more children were subjected to forced sterilization.

In the 50s of the last century in India, women were allowed to marry from the age of 15, and men from the age of 22. In 1978, this rate was increased to 18 and 23 years respectively.

In 1986, drawing on the experience of China, India established the norm of no more than 2 children per family.

In 2000 significant changes were made in the demographic policy. The main focus is on promoting the improvement of family living conditions by reducing the number of children.

India. Major cities and nationalities

Almost a third of the total population of India lives in large cities of the country. The largest metropolitan areas are:

• Bombay (15 million).
• Calcutta (13 million).
• Delhi (11 million).
• Madras (6 million).

India is a multinational country, more than 2000 different peoples and ethnic groups live here. The most numerous are:

• Hindustanis;
• Bengalis;
• Marathi;
• Tamils ​​and many others.

Small nations include:

• naga;
• manipuri;
• garo;
• miso;
• typer.

About 7% of the country's inhabitants belong to backward tribes, leading an almost primitive way of life.

Why is India's population policy less successful than China's?

The socio-economic features of India and China differ significantly from each other. This is the reason for the failure population policy Hindus. Consider the main factors due to which it is not possible to significantly affect population growth:

1. One third of Indians are considered poor.
2. The level of education in the country is very low.
3. Compliance with various religious dogmas.
4. Early marriages according to thousands of years of tradition.

The most interesting thing is that in the state of Kerala, the population growth rate is the lowest in the country. The same region is considered the most educated. The literacy of people is 91%. For every woman in the country, there are 5 children, while for the inhabitants of Kerala - less than two.

According to experts, within 2 years the population of India and China will be approximately the same.

The abbreviation "AR" on all maps stands for "Autonomous Region".

Pictures are clickable.

Dynamics of the population of the provinces of China in 2000-2015:

1 - Demographics of China's regions in 2000-2015.

Table 1 - Change in the population of China in 2000-2015, million people

The population growth rate in China is slowly declining, but it can hardly be assumed that China will face the problem of a declining population in the near future. Growth rates in 2005-2010 and 2010-2015 about the same - about 2.5% for each period.

Figure 1 - Change in the population of China in 2000-2005, %.

Figure 2 - Change in the population of China in 2005-2010, %.

Figure 3 - Change in the population of China in 2010-2015, %.

It can be noted that, despite the overall slight decrease in the population growth rate in the country, the number of regions with negative growth is decreasing from six in the period 2000-2005. to just one province (Heilongjiang) in 2010-2015. This may indicate a weakening of migration processes between the provinces.

The highest population growth is observed in the cities of central subordination - Beijing and Tianjin. And also in the Tibet and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions.

2 - Population density of regions in China in 2015

Table 2 - Population density in China in 2015, pers. per 1 sq. km of territory.

Figure 4 - Population density in China in 2000-2015, pers. per 1 sq. km of territory.

Despite the fact that China is the most populous country in the world, in terms of population density it is significantly inferior to many countries (56th place in 2015). The least populated are the regions bordering Russia and the Tibetan provinces (Tibet and Qinghai).

3 - Urbanization in the provinces of China

Table 3 - The share of urban population in the provinces of China in 2015, %.

Figure 5 - The share of urban population in the provinces of China in 2000-2015, %.

The proportion of the urban population in China is slightly over 50%. It is logical that the largest share of the urban population is in the cities of central subordination (excluding, oddly enough, the city of central subordination Chongqing). The smallest is in Tibet.

4 - Birth, death and natural increase in the provinces of China

Table 4 - Birth rate, death rate and population growth in Chinese provinces in 2015, pers. per 1000 population.

Figure 6 - Natural population growth in Chinese provinces in 2015, people per 1000 population.

With natural increase in the provinces of China, everything is in order. Only in the northeastern provinces - Heilongjiang and Liaoning - a negative increase. In contrast, Xinjiang and Tibet show the largest growth rates.

In general, all provinces of China are characterized by a very low mortality rate by Russian standards. Although the birth rate in China is on average less than in Russia. But in 2016, its significant growth is noted.

5 - The proportion of different ages in the population of the provinces of China.

Table 5 - The share of different ages in the population of Chinese provinces in 2015, %.

Figure 7 - Share of children aged 0-14 in the population of Chinese provinces in 2015, %.

Figure 8 - The proportion of older people aged 65 and over in the population of Chinese provinces in 2015, %.

The smallest proportion of children in Shanghai. Most of the old people are in Chongqing. More than in other provinces, the proportion of children and the smallest proportion of the elderly - in Tibet.

6 - Literacy of the population of the provinces of China

Table 6 - The proportion of illiterates in the population of Chinese provinces aged 15 years and older in 2015,%.

Figure 9 - The proportion of illiterates in the population of Chinese provinces aged 15 years and older in 2015,%.

ALL PHOTOS

At the same time, on Friday, January 20, the State Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) reported that 17.86 million children were born in the country last year, Interfax reported. 9.77 million people died during the same period. The population of the People's Republic of China reached 1 billion 382 million people in 2016, an increase of 8.09 million over the year.

The number of people of working age (from 16 to 59 years old) is 907.47 million, and the number of citizens retirement age(60 years and above) - 230.96 million, i.e. 16.7% of the total population.

In addition, the male population of the country is 708.15 million, the female population is 674.56 million. Thus, there are 100 women for every 104.98 men. Chinese experts are concerned that more than 4 million Chinese men will not be able to marry by 2020.

The discrepancy in numbers is due to the use of different statistical methods, notes the BBC. results State Committee for Health and Planned Parenthood are based on data from hospital birth certificates, while the National Statistical Office's calculations were made in a sample survey.

At the same time, experts have previously warned that China's overpopulation could affect Russia. This applies to Eastern Siberia, where last years residents of the Celestial Empire are actively moving. As Professor of the University of Latvia, orientalist Leon Taiwans said in May 2014, due to the annexation of Crimea to Russia, the "Crimean scenario" may be repeated in Russia itself in a few decades. Only the Chinese in Eastern Siberia will act as "oppressed": "They will also talk about the majority of the population."

The "one family, one child" policy was introduced in China in 1979 and has been in place for many years. China was forced to legislate family size limits in the 1970s when it became apparent that the country's vast population lacked resources. With some exceptions, families were allowed to have only one child. Parents who violated this rule were subject to heavy fines and other severe penalties, including dismissal from civil service and expulsion from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

As a result, another serious problem appeared in the country. demographic problem- the aging of the nation. The authorities began to fear that the working Chinese would soon be unable to support the rapidly aging population.

In February 2015, the Chinese authorities acknowledged that although the one-child program has been relaxed, this does not solve the current problem of an aging population. To resolve the situation, the deputy director of the Shanxi Province Family Planning Commission and senior member of the People's Political Consultative Council of China, Mei Zhiqiang, proposed to legislate the obligation to have a second child in the family.

However, this proposal was criticized by journalists. Several publications pointed out at once that it would be much more reasonable to provide financial support to young couples who themselves want to have a second child than to force everyone.

As a result, in October 2015, the PRC authorities allowed all residents of the republic to have two children. Demographic and social change in China, Wang Feng called the decision of the PRC authorities " historical event", which will change the world, but at the same time warned that the innovation will not solve the problem of an aging population.