What does the world do with all its young people?
Demographic discussions nowadays tend to concentrate on the aging of the population in so many places, and that’s going on. But at the same time, many places in the world have a growing population of people between the ages of 15 and 24. The chart above is from the United Nations Department of Economic and [...]
The demographics of the world
This chart, from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, shows standard population pyramids for the world for 1950 and 2010, with projections for 2050 and 2100. Men are on the left, women are on the right. This gives some clues about what the economy will look like in the next 90 years. [...]
World’s cars per capita declining
I’ve been doing a lot of demographic research recently, on markets emerging and otherwise, and I found something that completely surprised me: the number of cars per capita in the world has declined. I was sure it would have gone up, which shows why you have to go to the facts rather than trying to [...]
China, India, and Problems with Gender Imbalances
Today’s New York Times had a story about how women in Williston, ND are feeling harassed. It’s one of the North Dakota communities that has seen a huge influx of men because of the growth of the energy industry. And, the women are feeling threatened. In India, a young woman died after a gang rape, [...]
Some Thoughts on India and Demographics
Demographics are the closest thing out there to a reliable fortune teller. A nation’s destiny is foretold in its people; the makeup of the population determines what work will be done, what goods will be in demand, and which politicians will take power. Changing demographics are driving growth in India and China, but they are [...]
Infrastructure Spending, in China and Elsewhere
China has been spending enormous amounts of money on infrastructure. The US should be spending more money in infrastructure. Brazil is embarking on an infrastructure program in advance of the 2016 Olympics. Is this good, bad, or ugly? For the most part, infrastructure is good. We need roads to get around, railroads and shipyards to [...]
China, Japan, and the Communist Party Central Committee
China is in an interesting state right now. There were protests over the weekend, some violent, against the Japanese and against the Americans for not taking a firmer stand against the Japanese. Even Chengdu had protests, and that’s not a city known for being feisty. The peppers in the food make the women beautiful, I [...]
Pussy Riot, Emerging Markets, and Social Investing
Punk’s not dead in Russia, although it will be going to prison for a while. Three members of the band Pussy Riot have been sentenced to two years in prison for a protest against both Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. Whether or not you agree with them, their protest would be legitimate in [...]
A Wrap-Up of My China Trip
I’m back in the states! Here are my general observations on this past summer: Noodles. I love noodles. I am looking for noodle recipes and probably making a trip soon to Chinatown for supplies. Chengdu is known for food, and even a vegetarian can eat well (assuming, of course, that she likes noodles and spice!) [...]
