Where did 430 go wrong?

"The population on Dongwan Island is now about 200,000, distributed along the coastal areas on the west side. Originally, there were more than 400,000 people from Zheng Country here, but after the Shenguo occupation, they began massacring the people of Zheng Country, which reduced the native population by about half," Luff glanced at the document in his hand and then looked up to continue speaking to Tang Mo.

The data was actually very inaccurate, just a rough estimate based on some temporary statistics.

The exact figures were estimated to be available after two months, as many civilians from Zheng Country had fled into the deep mountains to hide, and it would take time for them to come out.

However, for an island the size of Dongwan, a population of 200,000 could indeed be considered sparsely populated. Population growth is not something that can be rushed; it can only rely on immigration or accumulation, and it's a task that takes time to build up.