A changing world…

This is one of the most amazing graphs we’ve come across in a long time. We found it in the United Nations Urbanization Prospect 2007. It shows the distribution of the world’s population in 1950, 2007 and the predictons for 2050.

Take a look at some of the most stunning figures:
1) In 1950, no less than 38% of the world population lived in Europe, and 15% in Northern America. In 2050, that will be 9% and 6%.
2) During the same period, the percentage of the world population living in Asia will rise from 32 to 54%
3) Africa is gaining importance quickly: 4% of the world population in 1950, against 19% in 2050

Some powerfull data to support the importance of the emerging megacities in Central and Western China, we would say…

Chongqing to have rail link with Rotterdam — Shanghai Daily

The story is already some weeks old, but I stumbled upon it today. The vice mayor of Chongqing (a city of >30 million souls in central China) has said his city will have a cargo railway straight to Rotterdam, the Netherlands before 2012. This will greatly boost economic potential of central and western China. More on Shanghai Daily.

Interview at English speakers corner

Interview at the English speakers corner in Taiyuan (every Saturday at 19.oo at May 1st square) by embedded director Daniel van Veen.