China

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With over 1 billion residents, China is the most populous country in the world. From its growing economy, increasing modernization and urbanization, and a continuing population shift from rural to urban areas, China is in the midst of many significant changes. However, these rapid changes have a ripple effect on China and its people. As the push toward industrialization continues, there is a demonstrated need for labor in many regions; however, new skills are required for those people with rural and agricultural backgrounds. Beyond the increasing demand for education and new skills, the population shift adds to the challenges of overcrowding in China’s urban centers, including unemployment and a lack of social services. Plus, the people left behind in the rural regions become even more isolated from the changes happening at a national level, and even further from the benefits and comforts of a growing economy.