demographic transition model

Question 1

What does the model show?

Answer 1

It shows birth and death rate patterns across the world and through time. It includes the the main period of a country’s development and shows the links between demographic and economic changes. It is divided into five stages

Question 2

What was the model originally intended for?

Answer 2

It was designed to explain population change in countries at further stages of development

Question 3

What does the model now explain?

Answer 3

It has now been used to explain events in all countries, which allows different patterns of demographic and economic development to be compared

Question 4

What is an example of a Stage 1 society?

Answer 4

Traditional rainforest tribes

Question 5

What is an example of a Stage 2 society?

Answer 5

Afghanistan

Question 6

What is an example of a Stage 3 society?

Answer 6

Most countries at lesser stages of development, such as India, Kenya, and Brazil

Question 7

What is an example of a Stage 4 society?

Answer 7

Most countries at further stages of development, such as the USA, France, and the UK

Question 8

What is an example of a Stage 5 society?

Answer 8

Italy, Germany, and Japan

Question 9

What are some characteristics of a Stage 1 society?

Answer 9

• High birth rate
• Hight death rate
• Fluctuation because of disease, famine and war
• Population fairly stable

Question 10

What are some characteristics of a Stage 2 society?

Answer 10

• Death rate decreases
• Birth rate remains high
• Population grows

Question 11

What are some characteristics of a Stage 3 society?

Answer 11

• Birth rate drops rapidly
• Death rate continues to decrease but more slowly
• Population still grows, but not quite as fast

Question 12

What are some characteristics of a Stage 4 society?

Answer 12

• Low birth rate
• Low death rate
• Birth rate tends to fluctuate depending on the economic situation

Question 13

What are some characteristics of a Stage 5 society?

Answer 13

• Birth rate very low and goes below death rate
• Death rate has increased slightly because of ageing population
• Total population starts to decrease

Question 14

Why is there high fluctuation in Stage 1?

Answer 14

Because there is little medicine, low life expectancy and no means of birth control

Question 15

What is the key factor that indicates the change from Stage 1 to Stage 2?

Answer 15

The decrease in death rate

Question 16

What happens in Stage 2?

Answer 16

The improvements in medicine and hygiene cure some diseases and prevent others, which increases life expectancy. Also the gap between birth rate and death rate results in population growth

Question 17

What are most economies in Stage 2?

Answer 17

Agriculture

Question 18

Why do birth rates remain high in Stage 2?

Answer 18

Because the children are needed to work the land, as they can produce more food than they eat

Question 19

What is the key factor at the start of Stage 3?

Answer 19

The decrease in birth rate, which is often quite rapid

Question 20

Why does the birth rate decrease in Stage 3?

Answer 20

This is due to both the availability of birth control and economic changes, which mean people benefit from having smaller families

Question 21

Why are children no longer important, in terms of the economy, in Stage 3?

Answer 21

As a country develops, they become economic costs instead of economic assets. When children have to go to school, they can no longer work and their education may cost the family money

Question 22

Why does birth rate vary in Stage 4?

Answer 22

It varies depending on the economic situation. When the economy is growing and people have jobs and earn a good living, they are more likely to afford children. In times of unemployment and low wages, people tend to postpone having a family until times are better

Question 23

Why does death rate rise in Stage 5?

Answer 23

Because the population includes more elderly people

Question 24

Why does birth rate fall in Stage 5?

Answer 24

Some countries, such as those in Eastern Europe, have uncertain economies which discourage people from having babies. Or, like in Western Europe, the economies give young women so many career opportunities that they decide to be childless or to postpone motherhood