There is a saying that it is “a small world.” However, we all know that this is not so true. Technically speaking, the world we live in is large. While we may know that the world has 8.1 billion people and that the population of India and China combined is about 2.8 billion, which is more than 30% of the total world population, there is more to global population statistics. In fact, some of these other statistics about the world’s population we may find very unusual. Here are ten of them.
Related: Top 10 Places That Were Once Their Own Countries
10 How Many People Can Fit in Loch Ness?
Loch Ness is 22 miles (35.4 kilometers) long, 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) wide at the widest point, and over 850 feet (260 meters) deep. With its enormous size, the loch is capable of holding the entire population of the world with plenty of space to spare if the water is drained from it. This means that in the space taken up by Loch Ness, you could fit every single person in the world multiplied by ten or more.
Loch Ness holds an estimated 263 billion cubic feet (7.5 billion cubic meters) of water. There is more water in Loch Ness than in all the lakes, rivers, and reservoirs in the whole of Scotland, England, and Wales combined. At some points, Loch Ness is twice as deep as the deepest part of the North Sea.[1]
9 Switzerland’s Abundant Nuclear Shelters
Nuclear war is a possibility, although the United Nations is trying its best to make it as impossible as possible. However, several governments of the world have taken the time to build nuclear shelters for their citizens just in case all hell breaks loose someday. Switzerland occupies a frontline position in its efforts to contain a nuclear war. By Swiss law, building owners are required to have a fallout shelter available to house all its residents. This includes homes, schools, and hospitals. The Swiss firmly believe that even if they remain neutral in the event of a nuclear war, neutrality will not protect the nation from radioactivity.
The most remarkable thing about these nuclear shelters is that they are not just ordinary bunkers. They are like underground condos, complete with an air filtration system, emergency power supplies, and water tanks, among other facilities. These nuclear shelters are capable of sustaining life for months and years if properly maintained. These shelters do not just sit there and gather dust. They are restocked regularly and ready for use if things go south.[2]
8 Finland’s Uncompromising Love of Saunas
Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. The population of Finland is about 5.5 million, and there are three million saunas to go around. In Finland and places with similar weather conditions, saunas resulted from the need for heating and cleansing. Finland’s sauna tradition goes back to the first settlements after the ice age when it is believed that people dug holes in the ground and covered them with animal skins.
Not surprisingly, then, saunas contribute to the happiness levels in Finland. There are public saunas in Finland that do not charge fees and are open all through the year—night and day. Interestingly, the Finns have found innovative ways to enjoy their sauna. One of them is by leaving a hot sauna and running out into the snow on a wintry day. Some even leave a sauna, plunge into ice water, and repeat the process again and again.[3]
7 If Manhattan’s Population Density Equaled Alaska’s
Manhattan in New York State has a very high population density of around 72,918 people per square mile (28,154 per square kilometer)—essentially, 1.69 million people live in its 22.83 square miles (59.13 square kilometers). In fact, Manhattan is the most densely populated but geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also considered one of the world’s foremost commercial, financial, and cultural centers.
It’s renowned for its many points of interest, including Broadway—one of the world’s best-known streets—the financial district of Wall Street, skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Harlem, and Central Park. On the other hand, Alaska has a population density of 1.3 people per square mile. The implication of this scenario is that if Manhattan had the same population density as Alaska, only about 32 people would live there.[4]
6 China Has 65 Million Empty Houses
China has ghost cities—whole cities that were built but never inhabited.
Aside from the need to provide adequate housing for China’s ever-growing population, China also sees real estate as an investment strategy. The government makes population projections and tries to be as prepared as possible. One of the aims of this is to sustain the current high economic growth being experienced by the country. While the robust housing policy has led to several “wins” for China, it also has some downsides.
An example of the downside is the city of “Ordos New Town” also known as Kangbashi, in the region of Inner Mongolia. Ordos is the largest ghost town in China. If you are looking for the perfect example of a housing bubble that burst, Ordos is the place to go. Just like other ghost cities in China, the story of Ordos began with an economic opportunity that the government believed would lead to a population boom, but the people never arrived.
The great Mongolian coal rush of the 2000s brought several private mining companies to the area. Local farmers cashed in on the rush and sold their lands at ten times the original value to the miners. There were different job opportunities as ceaseless coal truck convoys took up all the roads. The money flowed into the municipality, which got into the head of the city officials.
As a result, they started building—flats, shops, office blocks, among others. Chinese officials built a futuristic and ultra-modern city that could accommodate one million residents. In the end, the coal trade did not continue to grow at the projected rate, probably due to the emergence of more sustainable energy alternatives. The city is now almost deserted.[5]
5 A Huge Island with Little Population
Greenland is officially the world’s largest island. Its early beginnings were as the home of Paleo-Inuits, who trekked from North America across the frozen Thule Strait to Greenland. Isolated there for thousands of years until nearly AD 1000. When the Vikings landed there. However, the Vikings left Greenland about 500 years later. Most of Greenland’s current residents descend from the last of six of these Inuit migrations over the millenia.
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it was redefined as a district of Denmark. Despite its remarkable size, Greenland has one of the lowest population densities, with around 0.36 people per square mile (0.14 per square kilometer). What we find bizarre about this number is that when you compare Hong Kong to Greenland, you get a shocking result. The population density in Hong Kong is 17,485 people per square mile (6,751 per square kilometer), yet Hong Kong is about 1,955 times smaller than Greenland.[6]
4 A Japanese Town Has More Scarecrows Than Humans
Nagoro village in Japan is a rural community where elderly residents spend their time blissfully tending to their gardens and fishing. The town is located in Tokushima Prefecture on Japan’s smallest Island, Shikoku. In this village, there are more than 350 scarecrows placed in various locations. However, there is something unique about these scarecrows—they are all created single-handedly by longtime resident Ayano Tsukimi.
For Ayano, the continued decline in the population of the village became depressing. This is why he decided to create a new community of friendly faces with old clothes and newspapers. The scarecrows in Nagoro are not the typical scarecrows. They are dressed in nice clothes. In all, there are ten scarecrows for every single person in Nagoro village.[7]
3 Where Men Really Outnumber the Woman
We already mentioned the world population is over eight billion. Surprisingly, the gender of these billions of people lies pretty much at the 50/50 point. Specifically, the average is 1.02 males per female, with that number falling from 1.07 males/female at birth to 0.78 males/female over age 65. Except in Qatar!
Qatar is a country in West Asia that occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. It’s rich in energy resources; in fact, the country has the third-largest energy reserves in the world. Qatar’s sound economy and robust immigration policy resulted in many men emigrating from neighboring countries in large numbers. Qatar needs this influx of labor; hence, those who scrutinize immigration applications do not care about gender balance. The end result of this is that men outnumber women in a ratio of 2.87 to 1. Maybe Qatar could mingle with the North Mariana Islands with its 0.77 males for every female to help even things out.[8]
2 Monaco’s Millionaires
Ordinarily, we would consider ourselves lucky if we are able to meet one millionaire a day, but if you reside in Monaco, it’s a different scenario.
The principality of Monaco is a sovereign city-state. It is home to 38,682 residents and is widely recognized as one of the most expensive and wealthiest cities in the world. One in three residents is a millionaire. We have no doubt in our minds that Monaco has to be one of the most unique places in the world in terms of the economic status of its residents. In this city, we would not be surprised if you find a janitor or a handyman who is a millionaire.[9]
1 Everyone Living in One Space
Whittier is a city at the head of the Passage Canal in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located about 58 miles (93.3 kilometers) southeast of Anchorage. Even though Alaska covers 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 square kilometers), it is sparsely populated—1.3 people per square mile (0.5 people per square kilometer). A far cry from some of the more dense places listed above. But back to Whittier…
The tiny town of Whittier has only one access road, which is often inaccessible in winter no little thanks to 22 feet (6.7 meters) of annual snow and its unique tunnel. The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel or Whittier Tunnel is 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long and serves as a dual vehicle-train tunnel. Oh, it’s also the only way into town and closes around 10:30pm.
But the most unique thing about Whittier is that the townspeople all live in the same building. The 14-story Begich Towers has the distinction of housing and accommodating the entire population of the town, which is about 272 people. Whittier has gained the nickname “town under one roof” over the years.[10]