Wizard Population and Other Schools

[Shauna]

No: HPFGUIDX 47146

One thing I would say about your speculations is that you seem 
to be saying that all of the resources needed to run the wizarding 
economy are coming from inside the UK.  For instance:

fresh
> produce, meat, ice cream which means dairies and dairy 
farms, which
> means farms in general, someone has to provide raw 
material, so we
> have miners, foundaries, metal smiths, foresters, cotton 
growers,
> sheep farmer, fabric weavers, clothes manufactureres, 
chessboard/piece
> makers,  (etc, etc.)

Now, you said that because there are importers there are going 
to be exporters - but, that's something that would decrease the 
population, not enlarge it.  All the aforementioned things need 
not come from the UK wizarding population.  In fact, it's likely that 
only a few of these things do.  With apparation and the floo 
network, the wizarding world is likely to be far more globalized 
than the real world, and already half the things we muggles own 
are from countries across the world. 

Yes, there seem to be a variety of stores in Diagon Alley, but they 
can be chain stores.  I doubt the Malfoys and Crabbes and 
Goyles of the wizarding world would be content to leave the 
money-making to small businesses.  And in that case, you don't 
need a large population to support those stores.  You see brand 
stores popping up in towns of a half thousand.

Another thing that strikes me about Diagon Alley is that it's more 
a mall than a city.  You don't hear about apartment complexes 
and slums and population problems there - yet it seems to be 
the focal point for the wizarding community, frequented by 
Malfoys and Weasleys alike.



> They have an international bank that seems to hold substantial 
wealth.

One thing I've wondered is what the international picture is like in 
the wizarding world.  Is the Chinese wizarding government 
communist?  Is the Colombian wizarding community plagued 
my drugs?

The UK is a focal point of the muggle world because of 
technology and riches, and a long domination of most other 
parts of the world.  If the wizarding world doesn't follow along the 
same lines, then why should the wizarding economy?

For instance, China.  If the percentage of wizards to muggles is 
the same across the world, why then there should be an 
overwhelming number of Chinese wizards.  They should play a 
major part in international politics and business.

Just my 2 galleons.
~ Shauna