Name: Nicholas Mohammed Subject: Geography; Unit 1 Module 1 & Environmental Science; Unit 1- Module 2 Topic: Population density,

, distribution and total population over time in China (developed country)

Table of Contents

China as a country Map of China The one child policy The Green Revolution World War II Distribution of Resources Bibliography

1 2 3 7 8 9 10

China as a country

Formal Name: Peoples Republic of China Short Form: China Term for Citizen: Chinese Capital: Beijing Major Cities: Based on 2009 census data, the largest cities are the four centrally administered municipalities, which include dense urban areas, suburbs, and large rural areas:
Table 1.1

City Chongqing Shanghai Beijing Tianjin

Population /million 3.5 16.4 13.5 9.8

Other major cities are Wuhan (5.1 million), Shenyang (4.8 million), Guangzhou (3.8 million), Chengdu (3.2 million), Xian (3.1 million), and Changchun (3 million). China has 12 other cities with populations of between 2 million and 2.9 million and 20 or more other cities with populations of more than 1 million persons. Independence: The outbreak of revolution on October 10, 1911, signalled the collapse of the Qing Dynasty (16441911), which was formally replaced by the government of the Republic of China on February 12, 1912. The Peoples Republic of China was officially established on October 1, 1949, replacing the Republic of China government on mainland China. Public Holidays:
Table 1.2

Holiday New Years Spring Festival/Lunar New Year Labour Day National Day Communist Party Founding Day Childrens Day Army Day

Date Jan 1st 3 movable dates in Jan & Feb May 1st Oct 1st & Oct 2nd July 1st Jun 1st August 1st

Map of China

Choropleth map showing population distribution in China

Diagram D.1

**Legend Capital 1000 People Main town

Factors affecting population in country A. The one child Policy

During the 1970s the Chinese government identified an imminent population crisis. Growth was so rapid that the country would soon face famine conditions. A severe policy was forced on the Chinese, beginning in 1979. Each couple: Must not marry until well into their 20s Must only have one successful pregnancy Must be sterilized after first child or abort any further pregnancies

The policy however was controversial for several reasons as: Late abortions were carried out Women were placed under tremendous pressure Local officials had the power over peoples private life As sons were preferred, many girls were abandoned or left at orphanages Chinese children have a reputation for being indulged because they are single children

Let us now examine the figures for the population of China over the last 20 years.
Table 1.3

Year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Population /millions 1158.2 1171.7 1185.2 1198.5 1211.2 1223.9 1236.3 1247.6 1257.9 1267.4 1276.3 1284.5 1292.3 1299.9 1307.6 1314.5 1318.4 1323.1 1326.4 1339.7 1338.3

** It should be duly noted that the population of China in 1970 was 4227.9 million.

The Chinese government is facing an important challenge. They need to balance the basic human right of reproduction with population growth, which, despite the policy's success, is still increasing at a rate of 8 per 1000, or 10 million people, per year. In making decisions about the future, several factors must be taken into consideration. First, relaxation of the policy can be considered only if fertility aspirations are such that a baby boom will not result. There is now good evidence that China is becoming a small family culture. Data from the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Survey show that 35% of the women questioned preferred having only one child and 57% preferred having two children, but very few women (an average of 5.8%) wanted more than two. Young, urban, educated women wanted fewer children than did their counterparts in rural areas. In other studies, 75% of respondents in wealthy Jiangsu province were satisfied with their one child regardless of sex, whereas in poorer Yunnan province, 55% were satisfied with an only boy, but only 30% were satisfied with an only girl. It can also be seen from the table 1.3 over the years that the one child policy is working. The number of people within the population presently is much less than what it used to be in the 1970s. Also, the increase in the population is steadily becoming more manageable. It is true that this policy has indeed been an effective way to curb the rising population of the nation of China. Please refer to diagram D.2 for reference.

Diagram showing the increase in the population of China over the years and predicted future population

Diagram D.2

B) The Green Revolution

The Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s that increased agriculture production around the world beginning most markedly in the late 1960s. The initiatives, led by Norman Borlaug, the "Father of the Green Revolution" credited with saving over a billion people from starvation, involved the development of high-yielding varieties of cereal grains, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, modernization of management techniques, distribution of hybridized seeds, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides to farmers. China's economy is going greener as the world's third-largest economy makes resolute efforts to save energy reduce pollution and manage the amount of food it produces so the population will not starve. This has been a fear of the Chinese government since before 1970 and was one of the major reasons the one child policy was implemented. The Chinese government has also moved to eliminate out-dated production facilities and set stricter rules on new project approvals in a bid to meet its energy saving and emission cut target. China aimed to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 20 percent and cut emissions of major pollutants by 10% between 2006 and 2010. In addition to this, the government has reduced the amount of imports the country will undergo. As such, China will utilize its greatest resource, the people itself to help sustain the land. By reducing the amount of exports, the government of China is hoping to create more job opportunities as well as increase exports as to generate more income that will aid in sustaining stable development of the country. Truly, Chinas entry into the Green Revolution will bring many benefits if the country proceeds on the right track.

Factors affecting population distribution & density

C) World War II

The Japanese had been in northern China since 1931 and in coastal China since 1937 when they attacked Pearl Harbour in 1941, marking the official beginning of World War II in Asia and the Pacific. The Japanese occupied most of the eastern and coastal part of China. The Japanese were brutal colonizers. Japanese soldiers expected civilians in occupied territories to act as slaves and do their bidding. Japanese soldiers reportedly bound the legs of women in labour so they and their children died in horrible pain. Chinese women were kidnapped and turned into prostitutes who serviced Japanese soldiers. Prisoners at Unit 731 were and infected with the bubonic plague, syphilis, cholera, typhoid, anthrax and a variety of other viruses, bacteria and diseases. An estimated 10,000 prisoners died from these experiments. Similar experiments were conducted at Unit 8604 at Zhongshan University near Canton where perhaps 20,000 people, previously thought to have died from starvation, may have actually died from infectious diseases planted on them by scientists. Few details are known, but bodies buried in earthen jars have been discovered and local residents say they saw large numbers of bodies dumped in pits and destroyed in vats of chemicals. Various experiments were conducted with fleas, rats and the plague. In one experiment plague-carrying fleas were raised in a bathtub and then mixed with wheat to attract disease-carrying rats. In another experiment plague carrying fleas were raised on the bodies of rats in special incubators that could produce about 40 pounds of infected fleas a month. The plague was also dispensed via air drops and placed into the drinking water at the end of the war, killing thousands of local Chinese. The scientists also worked on developing balloons that could carry disease agents to the United States. The Chinese population fell during this time as a result of all these combined factors that lead to mass-deaths. It should also be noted that The Japanese occupied mainly coastal settlements meaning that most Chinese people flocked in land in hopes of escaping them. This influenced the distribution of people as to where they resided during that period.

D) Distribution of Resources

Depending on where the mineral resources of a country are located, naturally, people will occupy the land around there in hopes of benefiting from the resource and even securing a job to maintain it. In China, the main distribution of resources is as follows; The eastern region of China is mainly covered with plains occasionally separated by hills. With even terrain, an advanced network of rivers, and close proximity to the sea, China's eastern region provides convenient transportation conditions. As the leading region in China's economic development and opening to the outside world, the region is highly industrialized and urbanized, with obvious advantages in science & technology and economic development. The central region has abundant energy resources, and many types of metallic and non-metallic mineral resources. More than 20 kinds of mineral resources account for 50% or more of the total in China. For example, residual exploitable petroleum resources account for approximately 50%, conserved reserves of bauxite resources account for 61%, conserved reserves of copper resources account for 47%, and conserved reserves of phosphorus resources account for 40% of the country's total amount. The western region of China contains a concentrated distribution of mineral resources and produces a strong relative advantage for the region, as well as provides a strong foundation of resources for pillar industries. Among the total 159 mineral resources with proven reserves throughout the country, 138 can be found in the western region of China.

Bibliography

Hilali, A.Z. Chinas Population Growth: Policy and Prospects. China Report (2009) Jiali Li. Chinas One-Child Policy: How and How Well Has It Worked? Population and Development Review Population Reference Bureau. World Population Data Sheet. Washington D.C : Population Reference Bureau, 2011. State Family Planning Commission of China. www.sfpc.gov.cn. Zeng Yi. Is Fertility in China in 1991-92 Far Below Replacement Level? Population Studies Paul Guinness, Judy Rocke, Garret Nale, Nelson Thornes Geography for CSEC