With a population of 1.2 billion, one of the most serious social and economic problems still facing China is its huge population growth. Every year, China's population grows by 14 million people—three-quarters of Australia's entire population! \n\nUp until the 1970s the Chinese government regarded a growing population as a benefit in bringing about swift economic development. By 1963, the average number of children born to a Chinese woman was 7.5. \n\nIn recent decades, China's government has viewed population growth differently. With one-fifth of the world's population, but only 7 per cent of the world's arable land, continuing strong population growth would bring about great hardships, extreme poverty and famine. \n\nThe Chinese government decided in the 1970s to control population growth. This has proved a very complex task. The main strategy the government introduced in 1982 was a radical family planning program to encourage couples to restrict their family size to just one child. This has become known as the 'One Child Policy'. \n\n\n\nPolicy incentives \n\nsalary bonus (urban) \nbigger land allocation (rural) \nextended maternity leave \npaid medical and hospital expenses \npriority access to housing, employment and schooling for the child \n\nDisobeying the policy \n\nwithdrawal of family allowance and medical benefits \nfines (even against everyone in the village or town) \ndemotion or discharge from a government job \n\n\nExceptions to the rule \n\nmembership of a minority ethnic group (can be allowed two or even more children) \nhaving a first child with a disability that is likely to result in inability to work \npregnancy after adopting a child \nrisk of 'losing the family line' without a second child (the first child being a girl) \nrural families with 'real difficulties' (all children so far being girls)