10 Strange Statistics About Population
There’s a saying that it’s a “small world.” However, we all know that this is not so true. Technically, the world we live in is big. While we may know that the world has 8.1 billion people and that the combined population of India and China is approximately 2.8 billion, which is more than 30% of the world’s total population, there is more to be said about world population statistics. We may even find some of these other world population statistics quite unusual. Here are ten.
Related: Top 10 places that were once their own
10 How many people can fit in Loch Ness?
Loch Ness is 35.4 kilometers long, 2.7 kilometers wide at its widest point and over 260 meters deep. With its enormous size, the lake is capable of housing the entire world’s population, with plenty of room left over when the water is drained from it. This means that in the space that Loch Ness takes up, you could fit every person in the world, multiplied by ten or more.
Loch Ness contains an estimated 7.5 billion cubic meters of water. There is more water in Loch Ness than in all the lakes, rivers and reservoirs in the whole of Scotland, England and Wales combined. At some points Loch Ness is twice as deep as the deepest part of the North Sea.[1]
9 Switzerland’s plentiful nuclear shelters
Nuclear war is a possibility, although the United Nations is doing its best to make this as impossible as possible. However, several governments of the world have taken the time to build nuclear shelters for their citizens, just in case all hell ever breaks loose. Switzerland takes a frontline position in its efforts to curb nuclear war. Under Swiss law, building owners are required to have a fallout shelter available to house all their residents. This includes homes, schools and hospitals. The Swiss are convinced that even if they remain neutral in the event of nuclear war, neutrality will not protect the nation from radioactivity.
The most remarkable thing about these nuclear fallout shelters is that they are not just any bunkers. They are like underground apartments, complete with an air filtration system, emergency power supplies and water tanks. These nuclear fallout shelters, if properly maintained, can survive for months and years. These shelters don’t just sit there collecting dust. They are regularly replenished and are ready to use if things go wrong.[2]
8 Finland’s uncompromising love for saunas
Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. The population of Finland is approximately 5.5 million and there are three million saunas in circulation. In Finland and places with similar weather conditions, saunas arose from the need for heating and cleaning. The Finnish sauna tradition dates back to the first settlements after the Ice Age, when it was believed that people dug holes in the ground and covered them with animal skins.
It’s no surprise that saunas contribute to happiness levels in Finland. There are public saunas in Finland that do not charge a fee and are open all year round, day and night. Interestingly enough, the Finns have found innovative ways to enjoy their sauna. One of them is to leave a hot sauna on a winter day and run into the snow. Some even leave a sauna, plunge into ice water and repeat the process over and over.[3]
7 If the population density of Manhattan is equal to that of Alaska
Manhattan in New York State has a very high population density of approximately 72,918 people per square mile (28,154 per square kilometer). Essentially, 1.69 million people live in its 22.83 square miles (59.13 square kilometers). In fact, Manhattan is the most densely populated but geographically smallest of New York City’s five boroughs. The municipality is also considered one of the world’s most important commercial, financial and cultural centers.
It is known for its many landmarks, including Broadway, one of the world’s most famous streets, the Wall Street financial district, skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Harlem and Central Park. On the other hand, Alaska has a population density of 1.3 people per square mile. The implication of this scenario is that if Manhattan had the same population density as Alaska, only about 32 people would live there.[4]
6 China has 65 million empty houses
China has ghost towns: entire cities that were built but never inhabited.
In addition to the need to provide adequate housing for China’s ever-growing population, China also views real estate as an investment strategy. The government makes population forecasts and tries to be as well prepared as possible. One of its objectives is to support the current high economic growth that the country is experiencing. While robust housing policies have led to several “wins” for China, they also have some drawbacks.
An example of the downside is the city of ‘Ordos New Town’, also known as Kangbashi, in the Inner Mongolia region. Ordos is the largest ghost town in China. If you’re looking for the perfect example of a housing bubble that burst, Ordos is the place to go. Like other ghost towns in China, the story of Ordos began with an economic opportunity that the government thought would lead to a population explosion, but the people never came.
The great Mongolian coal boom of the 2000s brought several private mining companies to the area. Local farmers took advantage of the rush and sold their land to the miners at ten times its original value. There were several employment opportunities as incessant convoys of coal wagons occupied all the roads. The money flowed into the city, which ended up in the heads of city officials.
As a result, they started building apartments, shops and office buildings, among other things. Chinese officials built a futuristic and ultra-modern city that could accommodate a million residents. Ultimately, the coal trade did not continue to grow at the expected pace, likely due to the emergence of more sustainable energy alternatives. The city is now almost deserted.[5]
5 A huge island with few inhabitants
Greenland is officially the largest island in the world. The beginning was home to the Paleo-Inuits, who migrated from North America across the frozen Strait of Thule to Greenland. It remained isolated there for thousands of years until almost 1000 AD. When the Vikings landed there. However, the Vikings left Greenland about 500 years later. Most of Greenland’s current inhabitants are descended from the last of six of these Inuit migrations over the millennia.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it was redefined as a district of Denmark. Despite its remarkable size, Greenland has one of the lowest population densities, with approximately 0.36 people per square mile (0.14 per square kilometer). What we find bizarre about this figure is that if you compare Hong Kong with Greenland, you get a shocking result. The population density in Hong Kong is 17,485 people per square mile (6,751 per square kilometer), but Hong Kong is about 1,955 times smaller than Greenland.[6]
4 A Japanese city has more scarecrows than people
The village of Nagoro in Japan is a rural community where elderly residents spend their time tending their gardens and fishing. The city is located in Tokushima Prefecture on Japan’s smallest island, Shikoku. More than 350 scarecrows have been placed in different locations in this village. However, there is something unique about these scarecrows: they were all created single-handedly by long-time resident Ayano Tsukimi.
For Ayano, the continued decline in the village’s population became depressing. So he decided to create a new community of friendly faces with old clothes and newspapers. The scarecrows in Nagoro are not your typical scarecrows. They are dressed in beautiful clothes. In total there are ten scarecrows for every person in Nagoro village.[7]
3 Where men truly outnumber women
We already mentioned that the world population is over eight billion. Surprisingly, the gender of these billions of people is pretty much at the 50/50 mark. Specifically, the average is 1.02 men per woman, with that number dropping from 1.07 men/woman at birth to 0.78 men/woman over 65 years of age. Except in Qatar!
Qatar is a country in Western Asia occupying the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. It is rich in energy resources; In fact, the country has the third largest energy reserves in the world. Qatar’s healthy economy and robust immigration policies caused many men to emigrate from neighboring countries in large numbers. Qatar needs this influx of workers; Therefore, those examining immigration applications do not care about gender balance. The end result of this is that men outnumber women by a ratio of 2.87 to 1. Perhaps Qatar could mix with the Northern Mariana Islands, with its 0.77 men for every woman, to straighten out the situation.[8]
2 Monaco’s millionaires
Normally we’d consider ourselves lucky if we could meet one millionaire a day, but if you live in Monaco it’s a different scenario.
The principality of Monaco is a sovereign city-state. It is home to 38,682 residents and is widely recognized as one of the most expensive and wealthiest cities in the world. One in three residents is a millionaire. We have no doubt that Monaco must be one of the most unique places in the world in terms of the economic status of its inhabitants. We wouldn’t be surprised if you found a millionaire janitor or handyman in this city.[9]
1 Everyone lives in one room
Whittier is a city at the head of the Passage Canal in the US state of Alaska. It is located approximately 93.3 kilometers southeast of Anchorage. Although Alaska covers 1,717,856 square kilometers, it is sparsely populated: 1.3 people per square mile (0.5 people per square kilometer). This is a far cry from some of the more densely populated places listed above. But back to Whittier…
The small town of Whittier has only one access road, which is often inaccessible in winter, thanks in no small part to its annual snowfall of 6.7 meters and its unique tunnel. The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel or Whittier Tunnel is 2.5 miles long and serves as a dual vehicle-train tunnel. Oh, it’s also the only way into the city and closes around 10:30 PM.
But the most unique thing about Whittier is that the townspeople all live in the same building. The 14-storey Begich Towers have the distinction of housing and housing the entire population of the city, which numbers approximately 272 residents. Whittier has been nicknamed the “city under one roof” over the years.[10]