Question

Which theory of population growth has three stages?

• A. The Malthusian Theory of Population growth
• B. The Theory of Demographic Transition
• C. The Theory of Population Explosion
• D. The Demographic Structure Theory

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The Theory of Demographic Transition describes the transition of a country from high birth and death rates to lower birth and death rates as it develops economically. This theory typically has three or four stages, with the first two stages often representing high population growth and the subsequent stages representing stabilization.

Answer 2

The Theory of Demographic Transition is a model that explains the changes in birth and death rates that occur as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system. This theory is divided into four or sometimes five stages, but it is primarily known for showing the transition through the following three key stages:

• Stage 1: High birth and high death rates, leading to a stable or slow-growing population.
• Stage 2: High birth rates and falling death rates, leading to rapid population growth.
• Stage 3: Falling birth rates and low death rates, leading to a stable or slow-growing population.

The model can also extend into a Stage 4, where both birth and death rates are low, resulting in a stable or declining population, and in some cases a Stage 5, where birth rates fall below death rates, causing population decline.

• The Malthusian Theory of Population Growth (Option 1) is based on the idea that population grows exponentially while food production grows at an arithmetic rate, which leads to periodic checks on population growth (such as famine, war, or disease).
• The Theory of Population Explosion (Option 3) refers to the rapid and unsustainable growth of the population, but it does not describe a structured theory with stages.
• The Demographic Structure Theory (Option 4) is not a widely recognized theory in population studies.

Thus, the theory with three stages of population growth is the Theory of Demographic Transition.