Urbanization in China or 37 percent of the total population in the mid-1980s—was relatively low by comparison with developed nations, the number of people living in urban areas in China was greater than the total population of any country in the world except India. The four Chinese cities with the largest populations in 1985 were Shanghai, with 7 million; Beijing, with 5.9 million; Tianjin, with 5.4 million; and Shenyang, with 4.2 million. The disproportionate distribution of population in large cities occurred as a result of the government's emphasis after 1949 on the development of large cities over smaller urban areas. In 1985 the
Electronic waste in China Electronic waste in China Electronic waste is a serious environmental issue in China. China is the largest importer of e-waste and is home to most of the world’s largest dumpsites. Rapid economic growth, coupled with the world’s increasing demand for electronics has dramatically increased the amount of e-waste being disposed of. Roughly 70% this global e-waste ends up in China. While the e-waste disposal sector is responsible for many jobs in rural Southeastern China, it has also posed environmental and health risks by releasing toxic pollutants. Most of these risks arise from the fact that 60% of the e-waste is