Beijing has almost the same population as these countries

http://www.washingtonpost.com/beijing-has-almost-the-same-population-as-these-countries/2014/06/19/ed3c04e7-5652-4de3-8139-648ad05f3d52_story.html?wprss=rss_world

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And it's not even the most populous city in China.

A new report from China's municipal bureau states that Beijing has an estimated population of 21 million, almost 500,000 more than the city had last year.

If the city keeps growing at this alarming rate, it will soon surpass a whole continent. Australia only has 1.5 million more residents than the capital of China. It is also close to taking out North Korea, Syria and Romania.

Chinese President Xi Jinping recognizes the population swell in the country's urban locations. As more than 50 percent of China's population live in urban areas, AFP reported that Xi believes authorities need to "strictly control the size of the population in especially large cities." His solution? Rolling out a residential permit system, though it remains unclear how this will help quell population growth.