followed by India and China. Scholars point out the one- child norm introduced in China in the late 1970s as the major reason for low population growth. They also state that this measure led to a decline in the sex ratio, the proportion of females per males. However, from the table, you will notice that the sex ratio is low and biased against females in all the three countries.
Scholars cite son- preference prevailing in all these countries as the reason. In recent times, all the three countries are adopting various measures to improve the situation. One-child norm and the resultant arrest in the growth of population also have other implications. For instance, after a few decades, in China, there will be more elderly people in proportion to young people.
This will force China to take steps to provide social security measures with fewer workers. The fertility rate is also low in China and very high in Pakistan. Urbanisation is high in both Pakistan and China with India having per cent of its people living in urban areas. TABLE .
Select Demographic Indicators, Country Estimated Annual Density Sex Fertility Urbanisation Population Growth of (per sq. km) Ratio Rate (in million) Population ( - ) India . . .
. . . Source: World Development Indicators, .
G ROSS D OMESTIC P RODUCT AND S ECTORS One of the much-talked issues around the world about China is its growth of Gross Domestic Product. China has the second largest GDP (PPP) of $ . trillion whereas India’s GDP (PPP) is $ . trillion and Pakistan’s GDP is $ .
trillion, roughly about per cent of India’s GDP. When many developed countries were finding it difficult to maintain a growth rate of even per cent, China was able to maintain near double-digit growth for more than two decades as can be seen from Table . . Also notice that in the 1980s Pakistan was ahead of India; China was having double-digit growth and India was at the bottom.