China's One Child Policy - Case Study

• 25% of the world's population
• 7% of the world's arable land
• Uses 8% of the world's water supply 

1950 - Government wanted people to have more children. 

1959 - Up to 20 million people died in a famine inc children. 

1960 - population starts to increase by 55 million every 3 years. 

1970 - families asked to have less children but this didn't work. China could become overpopulated.

1979 - policy introduced - women; pressured to have contraception; forced abortions & sterilisations.

1990s - policy failure. 120 million more people than planned. 

2000 - policy relaxed. still fined heavily if 1+ child. 

1950, rate population change 1.9%.

Chinese government encouraged more children, but by 1970 population unsustainable.

Policy keenly resisted rural areas, large families

female babies homeless/orphanages/killed, 90% abortions female

men outnumber women by 60 million

birth rate fallen, population growth now 0.7%

rise in relative number of elderly people