# How much does humanity build in a year?



## Carpenter01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Hey all,
Hope to are having a great day. I had this topic posted in a different section but was told to try here. Here goes. I've always been fascinated by the thought of how much does humanity build in a year? No doubt global cities, towns, and villages are growing every year as a whole. Does any one have data or estimates on how much our cities and populated areas expand every year? I bet it's an incredible amount

Any info would be greatly appreciated
Thank you!


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## anakngpasig (Jul 29, 2005)

^^Do you mean in terms of land area being built up?


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## Carpenter01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Essentially how many buildings, houses, commercial /industrial developments etc are built every year,
How many bridges,
How much highway? Power plants etc just a wack of things
But you never seem to see how much as a global total
As a product of this development how much does humanities' footprint increase each year ?


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## anakngpasig (Jul 29, 2005)

^^That's a lot of things to count, don't you think? There must be an easier parameter if the goal is to measure the total change in footprint, like changes in satellite image every year, maybe?


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## Carpenter01 (Feb 14, 2016)

You're right it is a lot. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if there is a resource online to track a lot of this stuff?

I am fascinated by built assets and the built world 

Amazing stuff

Thanks a lot for your messages!


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## Chrissib (Feb 9, 2008)

Another question is if you only ask for the net construction that only takes into account new construction or the gross construction that also takes into account replacements, repairs etc. 

One indicator is world cement production:


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## oliver999 (Aug 4, 2006)

china consume half of world cement ,steel production.


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## Aceventura (May 6, 2007)

I really can't help but I like the question and the thread. kay:


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## Carpenter01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Thanks Ace


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

oliver999 said:


> china consume half of world cement ,steel production.


It also builds transport like crazy. Its surpassed the US Highway system in 2011, and is now almost twice as large at 131,000 km (in 1999 it was only 10,000 km). It's high speed rail is now larger than the rest of the world combined, at 22,000 km (2/3 of the global total). Its metro systems are also the world's largest - (Shanghai and Beijing, soon to be joined by Guangzhou, with a panoply of smaller ones in every city). It also builds more skyscrapers (over 200m) each year than twice the rest of the world combined (LY 84 vs 36).

Altogether it adds up:












India, and it's 1.34 billion population is next:


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## Carpenter01 (Feb 14, 2016)

Wow!!!! Incredible #s

Spliff any more mind bending numbers? Really love the info!


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## null (Dec 11, 2002)




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