• The People's Republic of China has had a One Child Policy since 1979.china image by Luisafer from Fotolia.com
  
  The People's Republic of China enforces laws to prevent families from having large numbers of children. Known as the One Child Policy, these laws aim to alleviate overpopulation. They were first formulated in 1979 and are administered by the National Population and Family Planning Commission of China. Couples are encouraged to marry late and to have only one child, although exceptions are permitted.
  
  

Enforcement

• The One Child Policy is enforced by fines that are imposed on any family in breach of the laws. The fines are assessed according to the family's income. Families with a second or third child must also pay the health and education costs for the extra children. This is known as a "social compensation fee." Government employees could lose their jobs or be denied promotion if they do not comply with the laws.
  
  

Exceptions

• The policy is enforced strictly for the majority Han Chinese population. Ethnic minority families have quotas, depending on where they live. Different provinces in China have specific rules regarding multiple births. In certain provinces, couples that remarry following a divorce are permitted to have an additional child. In rural areas, families are permitted to have a second child if the first child is a girl or has a disability. There must be at least a five-year age gap between the two children.
  
  

Hong Kong

• The multiple-birth laws do not apply in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Any children born in Hong Kong are entitled to citizenship and free education in the Region. For this reason, women from mainland China often travel to Hong Kong to have their children.