Overpopulation is a primary issue in China and the world's urban cities. Shanghai is the capital city of china and has a population of over 27 million (Zhang et al., 2020). According to Zhang et al. (2020), the city's population growth has increased by 3.4% every year since 2000. The population increment can be attributed to the high number of people moving from rural to urban areas. Shanghai is a vital town since it is the financial, economic, trade, and shipping hub for China. The growth of the population has risen for decades. Since the 20th century, the population has grown by about a million people every year, with many of them flocking to the city due to its economic capability (Zhang et al., 2020). Shanghai is becoming a post-industrial economy, with its service sector accounting for over half the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in China. The overpopulation within the city has led to many social problems, including a lower standard of living and inequality. The city covers 7037 kilometres squared, meaning that over 23 million people in the town create congestion (Xizhe et al., 2005). The crowding of the people in the area creates unsuitable and hazardous living conditions and is a breeding ground for infectious illnesses. Shanghai is one of the cities in China that is highly overpopulated. It has created congestion that increases the spread of illnesses and lowers city sustainability. The most plausible solution would be giving the people who migrate to the city equal rights as those in the area.
Situation
Accordingly, Cui and Shi (2012) indicated that urbanisation is one of the anthropogenic forces on earth. For about two decades, the world has experienced a significant increment in population due to urbanisation. Over 50% of the people in a country reside in urban centres, and the number is likely to rise over the years due to the numerous opportunities present in cities. Shanghai is a country with over 27 million people and the world's largest city (Cui & Shi, 2012). The city's population is expected to grow, and by 2035, the city is predicted to have over 34 million people, which is relatively high considering that China's life expectancy is 82-years-old (Cui & Shi, 2012). Notably, Shanghai is a city that stretches over 7037 kilometres, and the average population density is 2059 people living in every square kilometer (Cui & Shi, 2012). Shanghai's population is bigger than in New York for over three years.
The population policy in shanghai has managed to curb and check natural population growth since the 20th century (Yin & Wang, 2020). However, controlling and managing the population is facing immense challenges. Besides, the city's life expectancy increased to 82 years due to the improved living standard, and the bettered health care system (Yin & Wang, 2020). As the population grows in the city, the annual rate of Shanghai's old-age population increases, with the growth rate currently standing at 1.71% (Yin & Wang, 2020). The chances are that the total population will exceed by 2025, and Shanghai will be an aging society (Yin & Wang, 2020).
Further, although the natural population growth in the city has been declining, the number of people has been increasing. The economic reform of 1978 has accelerated the area's urbanisation process (Yin & Wang, 2020). For twenty years between 1978 and 1998, the total number of people in the city has increased from about 6.4 to 9.5 million people, a growth rate of over 25% (Yin & Wang, 2020). The city accommodates many temporary residents, a category comprising of tourists, people on business errands, peasant workers, and others staying in the town without having a household registration status. The urban population growth in the city is attributed to a combination of rural-urban migration and urban reclassification.
Shanghai's overpopulation is attributed to the city's rapid economic growth, which has created new jobs with high wages in the manufacturing and service sectors. The opportunities for high wages and the numerous private enterprises attract people hence enhancing migration. The increasingly liberal government has fostered transition and migration from rural to urban areas. According to Yin and Wang (2020), the state council permitted firms ran by states to hire labor from rural areas. Any individual could purchase grain from the free markets and have a grain-ration system. Both the state and private firms in the city take advantage of the people's cheap labor in rural areas to improve competitiveness. Although the workers from rural areas often do not have benefits and may lose their jobs, the city's job opportunities have led to the migration of millions of peasants. Although job and employment search bring people to the city, the overpopulation in shanghai has led to various city challenges. Some of these issues include diseases and pose threats to the sustainable development of the area. Therefore, it is reasonable to measure the population carrying capacity to enhance the development of sustainability.
