With reference to a country you have studied, describe and suggest reasons for the main changes in population density and distribution over the last 30 years.

Essay by KeirCollege, Undergraduate April 2006

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China's population distribution was always uneven due to its various geographical features within the country. To the north of China, large areas of deserts made it nounarable for many people to live which result in a scarce population in these areas. People living here are mainly minorities of Inner Mongolia (Mongolian nationality) and Xinjiang (multi-nationalities such as Weiwuer and kazak nationality) To the southwest of China, there is Tibet plateau which has the tallest mountains in the world: Mt. Everest. Hence Tibet's isolation for centuries. This area is also scarcely populated since its too high to grow crops. Qinghai province (which is said to be part of Tibet before the 1952 invasion of the communist party) also has a high altitude and can be very hard to grow crops. However, Xinjiang, Tibet and Qinghai are the three largest provinces in China which together accounts for one third of the total population.

Due to their extreme climate and terrains, the population density of these regions are extremel low: Tibet is 0.2 persons per square km with an area of 150000 square km and a population of 30000; Xinjiang is 10.2 persons per square km; The northeast part of China has always been populated since it has high humidity, high temperature (southeast) and high precipitation which allows crops to grow and the possibilities of agriculture. 55% of China's land has under 6% of its population.

The most populated city in the 70s is Beijing as it's the capital. Huge immigration happened during the 60s and the 70s where most people tended to follow Mao with the communist idealism. China's population boomed in the period of great leap forward. Nevertheless, Dengxiaoping's suggested 'open door policy' brought the southeast of China fortune, opportunity and popualation. The fast industrilizing Shanghai and Guangzhou receive...