[BMonnery]

Originally posted by Randy McDonald:
Although the figure for Manchuria's population, of just under some 2.8 billion in Earth/Cyberpunk Sourcebook is clearly too high, I don't think that reducing Manchuria's population to a tenth is workable. Manchuria is described as a country with a relatively backwards technology; Manchurian colonies, for instance at Han Shan, are relatively low-tech and left to fend for themselves. Despite an early start, Manchuria is only the eighth interstellar power by population

At the same time, though, Manchuria is shown as a powerful Earthbound country, capable of taking on a fairly large European coalition and winning but for a surprising Japanese intervention. A technologically backward Manchuria with a population of ~270 million people wouldn't be able to do that.

If the population in E/C S was reduced to one-third or one-half, it'd be more reasonable. One-tenth is too much.

1/10th is about in line with the current population (about 200 million). The majority of the population of IRL China is in the 2300 state of Canton.

Bryn