Write a note on: Correlation between birth rate and death rate

Answer: The difference between the birth rate and the death rate gives the natural growth of population; their relationship changes through the stages of demographic transition.

• Stage 1 (high stationary): both birth and death rates are high, so population growth is very slow.
• Stage 2 (early expanding): the death rate falls sharply due to better food, medicine and hygiene, but the birth rate stays high; population grows rapidly (population explosion), e.g. Congo, Niger.
• Stage 3 (late expanding): the birth rate also starts falling, the death rate is low; growth continues but slows, e.g. India, China.
• Stage 4 (low stationary): both rates are low and nearly equal; population is stable, e.g. USA, Sweden.
• Stage 5 (declining): the birth rate falls below the death rate and population decreases, e.g. Germany, Japan.
• Thus when birth rate > death rate, population increases; when they are equal it is stable; when death rate > birth rate it declines.