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Questions
Answer the following question in about 150 words.
Discuss the three stages of demographic transition.
With the help of a neat and labeled diagram, explain the three stages of the Demographic Transition Theory.
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Solution
Demographic transition theory can be used to describe and predict the future population of any area. The theory holds that the population of any region shifts from high births and high deaths to low births and low deaths as a society progresses from rural, agrarian, and illiterate to urban, industrial, and literate. These changes occur in stages, which are collectively known as the demographic cycle.
The first stage has high fertility and high mortality rates because people reproduce more to compensate for the deaths due to epidemics and variable food supply. Population growth is slow, and most people are engaged in agriculture, where large families are an asset. Life expectancy is low; people are mostly illiterate and have limited access to technology. Two hundred years ago, all the countries were in this stage.
In the second stage, fertility remains high at the beginning but declines over time. This is accompanied by a reduced mortality rate. Improvements in sanitation and health conditions lead to a decline in mortality. Because of this gap, the net population growth is high. This results in a population explosion. Eg, Countries like India.
In the last stage, both fertility and mortality decline considerably. The population is either stable or grows slowly. The population becomes urbanised and literate, has high technical know-how, and deliberately controls family size. Some countries even experience population decline, E.g., many Western European countries.
