Culture
China has been fighting overpopulation for decades. It seems as if this problem has existed in the country for centuries. It now appears that Chinese authorities have finally succeeded in changing the traditional imbalance between male and female newborns.
In 2011, 118.08 boys were born per 100 girls in China. In 2010, the ratio was 100 to 119.45. The positive trend has been continuing for two years. However, the Chinese understand that the so-called gender imbalance in fertility remains at a very high level. In many regions of the country, there are 130 men per 100 women. If the situation does not change, it will be very difficult for one in five Chinese men to find a partner by 2020. Just imagine tens of millions of single Chinese men who would do anything to get married and start a family.
This problem poses a serious threat to the social stability of Chinese society. The situation in Russia, one of China's neighbors, is exactly the opposite. There were 10,495 more women in 2010 and 9,956 in 2002. On average, there are 1,159 women per 1,000 men in Russia. At the same time, in the city it is 1183 per 1,000, and in rural areas it is 1,093 per 1,000. China can only dream of such numbers.
In general, there are more brides in Russia than 10 million grooms. This is probably due to the low birth rate. Gender imbalance is the most serious problem in the regions of the Central Federal District of Russia. For example, in the Yaroslavl Region, there are 1,239 women per 1,000 men (1,233 and 1,226 women per 1,000 men in Ivanovo and Tula regions, respectively). The ratio of men to women in the central region as a whole was 1,181 women per 1,000 men. The number of women also exceeds the number of men in the North-Western and Volga Federal Districts of the country (1,167 and 1,171 women per 1,000 men, respectively).
The female population predominance is lowest in the North Caucasus (1,115 women per 1,000 men) and in the Far East (1,081). The only region in the country where there are more men than women is Chukotka (996 women per 1,000 men). However, this figure doesn't really mean anything because Chukotka is a sparsely populated region of the country.
Gender imbalance can lead to a decrease in the birth rate and a decrease in the overall population. Oddly enough, more than 20 million bachelors live in Russia, and their number is expected to grow. Igor Yanushev, PhD, psychologist, says that the problem of gender imbalance in China is related to the country's family planning regulations, which provide for birth only one child.
“Traditionally, Chinese families want boys. They would do anything to have a boy. To address gender imbalance, Chinese authorities have restricted the use of ultrasound during pregnancy and banned gender-based abortions. Chinese parents should know their child's gender only after the baby is born.”
According to the expert, migration is the easiest way out of this situation. Russia, a sparsely populated country, is the best option for a country like overpopulated China. However, it is already impossible to calculate the number of Chinese living in Russia. Nevertheless, we may be witnessing the beginning of Chinese demographic expansion into Russia.