China’s One Child Policy
Go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/941511.stm to access the BBC News article entitled “China Steps Up ‘One Child’ Policy” from September 25, 2000. (You may have to copy and paste the URL into the URL box in Google).
Read the questions below. Then, carefully read the articles to find the answers to the questions. You have 40 minutes to complete this activity.
1. Why was the one-child policy introduced to China?
2. According to this article, how many births had been prevented since 1980?
3. What is China’s population expected to be in the year 2050?
4. Couples living in the city can only have one child unless they are…(2 reasons)
5. In rural areas, are couples allowed to have a second child? Yes or No. If yes, when is it allowed?
6. Why are critics against the policy?
7. Men out number the women in China by more than ______________________.
8. How much of the population lives in the country?
9. Most of the people who live in the country instead of the city have more than 1 child. Why do you think the government allows them to have more children than people living in cities?
10. What happens to couples who get caught?
11. Why do some people kill their child if it is a girl?
12. How has the One Child Policy helped the children who live in the countryside?
Now go to “China’s One Child Policy” update from November 17, 2010 at http://geography.about.com/od/populationgeography/a/onechild.htm
13. How much longer are they planning on keeping the policy?
14. When did the government start this policy?
15. What two groups of people are not subject to this law?
16. Couples in China may legally have two children if:
a.
b.
17. The fertility rate in China is now ______ per woman; whereas, it is ______
per woman in the United States.
18.What happened in 2007 after Chinese officials, without permission, forced pregnant women in the southwestern region of China to have abortions or pay steep fines ?
19.What is your opinion about this law?
20.What do you think would happen if the U.S. tried to enforce a law like this?
Now go to “Population and Human Development - The Key Connections” at
http://www.peopleandplanet.net/?lid=25990§ion=33&topic=44.
21. The world population has grown from 3 billion to 6.7 billion in how many
years?
22. The U.S. produces one quarter (25%) of the world’s carbon dioxide
emissions but make up only ________ % of the global population.
23. Current population growth rates are equivalent to added a ___________
every week and a ______________ every year.
24. Since 1950 the richest 1/5 of humanity has __________its consumption of
energy, meat, timber, steel and copper per person and _________________
its car ownership.
25. What does this article suggest is the most effective solution to the
overpopulation problem? Why?