Population Human Geography

Population Control Expansive Population Policy – Gov’t policy that encourages large families to raise the rate of population growth Restrictive Population Policy – Gov’t policy designed to reduce the rate of natural increase

Case Study: China After the communist take over in 1949, Mao Zedong encouraged the people of China to have large families to support a large labor pool that was necessary for advancement Reversed the policy in the 1970s when there were resource shortages in China. Because of the “one-child” rule (which has many exceptions), the TFR fell from 5.9 in 1970 to 2.7 in 1980 to 1.7 in 2007.

Dude, where’s my wife? There are supposedly a projected 25 to 50 million men in China who cannot find a wife within the borders of their own country. For every 100 female babies born, there are 120 male babies born. There are approx. 20% more men than women As China becomes more and more developed, Chinese men are looking for more submissive and traditional wives from surrounding developing countries like Vietnam, where women are less likely to be educated or work outside of the home.

Case Study: Russia Russia has seen a decline in TFR since the fall of the Soviet Union Government has started offering $10,000 cash subsidy for women having more than 1 child Recently, in one province, a NATIONAL Day of Conception (Sept 12) was created to encourage people to have larger families – free car to anyone who had a baby 9 months later