zlacker

>>bookof+(OP)
The post leans too hard on “we have no idea.” Population numbers are estimates with error bars, especially in places with weak census infrastructure, but that’s not the same as ignorance. Most countries run censuses (sometimes badly) and use births/deaths/migration accounting to update totals. Calling them “fake” is misleading — it’s uneven data quality, not numerology. “Large uncertainty” ≠ “no idea.”

>>hybrid+bm
Countries have incentives to manipulate population data. Most error that I’m aware of is not attributable to poor data quality. For example, if you have a real estate bubble you have a strong incentive to show population growth.

>>nostre+In
I doubt places where the data is poor like Somalia or Afghanistan are making up their numbers because of a real estate bubble

>>autoex+dO
There are many other incentives, such as cities getting funding from the state proportional to their population.