Comparison of China and India

China and India as World Powers

China and India have experienced an impressive social, economic, and political growth in the past years making them two world powers of extraordinary economies. The two countries have recorded huge populations and experienced tremendous economic growth in recent decades despite a part of their population remaining in poverty. China and India have made both agricultural and technological civilizations whereby they have always strived to better their civilizations and influence the world as a whole. In addition, both China and India used patriarchy as their favored form of gender relations.

Differences in Economies

Despite having several similarities, there are noticeable differences in the economies. There is a difference in their politics, social system, and the importance of trade to their economies. China and India have significantly differed in their timing, speed, and pattern of growth as China's takeoff began earlier than that of India and was faster. Moreover, China focused on manufacturing and labor-intensive sectors while India's main focus was on communication technology and IT-based services, which made China grow faster than India.

Geography's Role in Development

Geography has played a vital role in the development of societies in India and China. For instance, in India, there was the growth of trade leading to long-distance trade and this was facilitated by the Hindu Kush Mountains to the Mediterranean and to Persia. In addition, the Silk Roads of central Asia to China and the Indian Ocean helped traders move easily which flourished their trade and this lead to the growth of the Indian economy. On the other hand, China has a diverse geographical landscape with the second-largest land area in the world and this played a vital role in its development. The Huang He and Yangtze rivers were used mainly for irrigation. Alternatively, China faced geographical obstacles with the mountains, large bodies of water, and deserts that at some point isolated them and hindered their trade. However, despite the isolation, the Chinese people did trade and developed their own dialect and culture, which also contributed to its civilization.