The Rise Of Australasia

Chapter 667 - 507: Agricultural Plan_2

The problem is, as a pilot for the localisation of the Australasia Colony, Dili’s population will inevitably experience a sudden surge in a short amount of time.

Even this surge has already begun, with Dili’s population increasing by more than 10,000 in a short period of time, which is the extent of its annual population growth in previous years.

Although it is difficult for a colony like Dili to attract immigrants, there would be no problem with the source of immigrants if the government strongly supports it.

After all, the current per capita cultivated land area in Dili is as high as 3 acres, far exceeding the current situation in Australasia where the national per capita cultivated land area is less than 2 acres.

And the conditions offered by the Dili government for immigrants are very strong; as long as they are willing to reside permanently in Dili, they can obtain at least 4 acres of cultivated land and have accommodations arranged for free.

Currently, agricultural income in Australasia is roughly maintained at around 15 Australian dollars per acre, which means that with an area of 4 acres of cultivated land, the annual income would be at least 60 Australian dollars, far exceeding the per capita annual income in Australasia.

Furthermore, immigrants who are unwilling to engage in agriculture can choose to give up cultivated land, and the colonial government will arrange jobs for them, ensuring that their income is maintained at least at the per capita income level.

This is very attractive to some immigrants who cannot find work in their native land.

After all, the per capita income level of Australasia is not low, and there is no problem in supporting a family with a good job.

Basically, as long as two of the three members of a family work, it is not a problem for the whole family to be well-fed.

If all three have jobs, their income in comparison to European nations is definitely considered upper-middle class.

At present, the scale of cultivated land in Dili can meet the demand for population growth up to 500,000, which is beneficial for Dili’s development.

After all, as a region that has decided to focus mainly on agricultural development, what kind of agricultural development can be talked about if it can’t achieve self-sufficiency in food?

"What is the population situation in Dili this year?" After confirming the rapid development of agriculture in Dili, Arthur turned his attention to the population of Dili.

"Your Majesty, the current population of Dili is estimated to be around 123,000. By the end of this year, it can grow to around 140,000 to 150,000. If there are no problems in the future, within the Four-Year Development Plan, Dili’s population can be increased to around 300,000, thus fully realising its localisation." Minister of Civil Affairs Philip promptly stepped forward to answer.

A population scale of 300,000 is indeed not low, especially for an island area with an area of only 30,000 square kilometers.

Now is not the future, and Australasia does not have a large enough population base; the increase in Dili’s population is already the result of the government’s efforts.

But given a hundred years of development time for Australasia, based on the current rate of population growth, it is absolutely possible for the population of Australasia to exceed 200-300 million.

"How are the arrangements for the work and accommodation of the new immigrants?" Arthur asked further.

While the growth of immigrants is a good thing, their food, clothing, housing, and transportation must also be carefully arranged.

No matter where these immigrants come from, once they permanently reside in Australasia and obtain citizenship, they become citizens of Australasia and enjoy legal protection.

The government needs to pay close attention to the needs of these people and try to meet them as much as possible.

Especially for new immigrants, there is a significant demand for housing, which must be met. After all, only when immigrants have a place to live can they better immerse themselves in work and life.