Question

Describe the stages of demographic transition.

Hint:

Visualize the demographic transition as a simple story of two lines (birth rate and death rate) on a graph:

\textbf{Stage 1:} Both lines are high and close together.
\textbf{Stage 2:} The death rate line drops, creating a wide gap (population boom).
\textbf{Stage 3:} The birth rate line starts to drop, closing the gap.
\textbf{Stage 4:} Both lines are low and close together again.

Answer 1

The Demographic Transition Theory describes the shift in population dynamics from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system. It typically involves four stages, with a fifth one sometimes included.
The Stages are:

Stage 1: High Stationary This stage is characterized by high birth rates and high death rates. Death rates are erratic due to famines, epidemics, and wars. As a result, the population growth rate is very slow and stable. This stage represents pre-industrial societies. No country is currently in this stage.

Stage 2: Early Expanding In this stage, the death rate begins to fall sharply due to improvements in sanitation, public health, and food supply. However, the birth rate remains high due to social norms and lack of access to contraception. The wide gap between high birth rates and low death rates leads to a period of rapid population growth or a "population explosion". Many developing countries are in this stage.

Stage 3: Late Expanding The birth rate starts to decline rapidly as the country becomes more urbanized, educational levels rise (especially for women), and access to family planning increases. The death rate continues to fall but at a slower pace. The population continues to grow, but the rate of growth begins to slow down.

Stage 4: Low Stationary Both birth and death rates are low and relatively stable. The population growth becomes very slow, zero, or even negative. This stage is characteristic of developed, industrialized countries with high levels of economic development and social stability.

Stage 5: Declining (Hypothetical) Some demographers propose a fifth stage where fertility rates fall significantly below the replacement level, and the death rate exceeds the birth rate, leading to a net decline in the total population. Some countries like Japan and Germany are showing characteristics of this stage.