http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01POP110209
(11-02-2009) HA NOI — Viet Nam needs to improve family planning in order to bolster the quality of life, according to Director of the National Economics University’s Institute for Population and Social Studies Nguyen Dinh Cu. The great population size and resulting high density, combined with the rapid growth rate, are providing the country with an energetic and cheap labour force and attracting investment for a strong market. However, a large number of people can worsen the unemployment situation and create numerous obstacles in terms of health care, education, housing and other social problems. Birthrate goals A countrywide birthrate goal according to of 0.2 per 1,000 people has been set by the National Assembly for this year, according to Deputy General Director of the General Office of Population and Family Planning (GOPFP) Duong Quoc Trong. "There is intent to reduce the rate gradually over time, falling to 0.1 per thousand, and even zero to stabilise the size of the population in the future." Before Tet (the Lunar New Year), the GOPFP sent a message to local health departments and population and family planning offices regarding the new birthrate restrictions. Localities will immediately begin measures to reach the target. At present, the country’s population continues to grow because as every one woman passes her child bearing age, two women enter theirs. "If we do not reduce the birthrate, we will have to bear the pressures of population size as well as challenges in caring for the elderly," said Trong. We are currently in a situation where we must control the population growth rate, but eventually, when we have a bigger economy, people will want to have fewer children and we will have to develop measures to encourage people to have children," said Trong. As the population rate stabilises, the family planning sector will focus on other areas relating to the quality of life. "Sustainable development cannot be reached if we manage only goods production or only population growth," he said. Region by region According to Minister of Health Nguyen Quoc Trieu, the ministry will continue to focus on strengthening the population sector’s nationwide organisation system and reducing the birthrate in areas where it still remains high. Trieu said the sector would do its best to help everyone gain access to reproductive health and family planning services. "If the birthrate is not yet stable by 2010, we will have to pay a heavy price for the population’s pressure on environment and food security. Solutions to resulting problems will be the burden of many generations in the future," said Trieu. Population density Viet Nam’s population density was up to 257 persons per square kilometre as of 2007, ranking fourth in the world behind India, Japan and Bangladesh, said Cu. UN scientists estimate that, on average, 35–40 people per square kilometre is the ideal population density for good quality of life. Viet Nam’s density, therefore, is six times higher than ideal, double the density of China and 10 times higher than developed countries. Density in the Hong (Red) River Delta is 1,200 persons per sq.km. Some agricultural areas such as Thai Binh, Nam Dinh, Hung Yen and Bac Ninh reach densities of up to 1,100 persons. According to an estimate by the General Office of Statistics, Viet Nam’s population will exceed 100 million by 2024 with a density of 335 persons per sq.km. "Land is an indispensable resource which cannot be imported or renewed," said Cu. — VNS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "World-thread" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
