China's Capital Beijing is Sinking 11 cm Per Year


Recommended Posts

 

Quote

China's Capital Beijing is Sinking 11 cm Per Year

 

Beijing is sinking 11cm a year because the city is using too much ground water, according to a new study.

 

The Chinese capital Beijing is one of the top countries in the world in terms of water scarcity, and the water in soil and rock formations just below its surface accounts for two-thirds of its inhabitants' water use.

 

Beijing's use of water from this aquifer for industrial, agricultural and household activities has left the surface of the city sinking since 1935.

 

However, the pace at which it is sinking has accelerated as its population has increased. Beijing's population in 1935 was 5.6 million; it rose to 10.8 million by 1990. 

 

In recent years, there has been even greater urban growth. In early 2016, the city's population reached an estimated 21.7 million, up from 19.6 million in 2010, and 13.6 million in 2000.

 

Continued...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.