China’s people
China earns the distinction of having the world?s largest and most populous country. In the latest census (middle of 2008) there are 1,330,044.605 people living in China alone. As the world?s population is estimated at 6.7 billion, China holds a full 20% of the world?s population. This means that one in every five people on the planet is a resident of China. Isn?t that amazing?
China’s population growth has been somewhat slowed by the one-child policy, in effect since 1979. Consider that in 1949, China?s population growth rate was a staggering 11% when the average rate is 2-3%. They needed drastic measures to contain this rapid growth of their population. By 1980, it was down to 6% and this rate has steadily decreased to a growth rate of 1.7% if you compare the population census of 2005 and 2008. Today, the basic requirements of family planning in China are late marriages, late child-bearing especially one child per couple. However, the government is flexible in implementing this policy for rural people and ethnic minorities. In areas inhabited by minority peoples, each ethnic group may work out different regulations in accordance with its population, natural resources, economy, culture and customs. In areas with extremely small populations, a couple is allowed to have as many children as they please.
China is a united but a multi-ethnic nation that is home to 56 ethnic groups. The majority of the Chinese belong to the Han ethnic group. They comprise 91.96% of the country?s total population while the other 55 make up the remaining 8.04% (1990 National Census). This group, however, is internally diverse as it consists of many smaller ethnic groups that have been ?Sinocized? into a Han identity. Because the assimilations were incomplete, some vestiges of their ?old? indigenous language and culture still remain. It won?t be unusual for you to see a group people all claiming to be Han and yet speak different dialects and practice different cultural traditions. To promote unity among its various people, the modern term ?Chinese Nation? or ?Zhonghua Minzu? is now used to describe a notion of a Chinese nationality that transcend ethnic divisions.
