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Demographic Transition: Population Growth, Birth Rate, Fertility Rate And Stages
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Published: November 27, 2007
The term demographic transition is commonly referred to when attempting to describe the various stages by which the growth of different countries' populations all across the world transform. The transition lies in the birth rate dropping from very high to much lower.
Introduced sometime during the 1940s, demographic transition was initially concerned with how population growth takes place in Europe and in North America.
Back then, the fertility rate in these societies was quite high, but so was the accompanying death rate since contagious diseases and epidemics were common occurrences. Through the basic principles involved in demographic transition, a reduction in death rates was sought, basically through measures aimed at controlling the occurrence of contagious diseases and epidemics.
Evidently, what the demographic transition concept was able to prove during those days was the belief that as societies experience modernization, changes in traditional values take place. Demographic transition found this to be particularly true among women empowered to make decisions on issues like reproductive health. Previously, as indicated in many claims, such a scenario was not possible especially in certain societies where women were denied certain basic rights.
Ideally, what demographic transition hopes to see are many different countries fully in control of their growth, which should happen once progress takes place in their midst. A control in population growth, as promoted by demographic transition, essentially means a low birth rate.
However, such a scenario is not known to happen overnight. This is because there are phases by which countries need to go through first before they can reach the ideal set-up being espoused by demographic transition. At present, only highly developed societies are known to have gone through all the stages involved in demographic transition, and are now enjoying the benefits of a low fertility rate and growth that is generally stagnant. All other countries are classified as falling in between the various phases.
Basically, there are three different stages involved in demographic transition. The first of three is characterized by a birth rate that is extremely high, but with slow population growth since death rates also happen to be quite high.
The second phase of demographic transition is characterized by the introduction of the first signs of progress as seen in more modern medicines, and improved public and personal health. Job opportunities begin to abound as well as more factories and office buildings are built. As a result, death rates fall sharply although the fertility rate remains high.
The third demographic transition phase presents a continued death rate decline. However, of greater significance in this particular demographic transition stage is the accompanying fall in the birth rate, mainly because many women have entered the work force.
As women begin to be more concerned with building a career, they either delay plans of starting a family or opt to have smaller ones if they ever decide to get married. This is usually the final stage of the demographic transition process. This is where a given society experiences controlled population growth with a low fertility rate, largely because its people are preoccupied with other concerns and not merely limited to raising a family.
Sources:
"Demographic Transition." Citizendium -- The Citizens' Compendium. 8 Oct. 2007. 27 Nov. 2007. http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Demographic_transit ion.
Rosenberg, Matt. "Demographic Transition." About, Inc. 27 Nov. 2007. http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/ demotransition.htm.
"How Demographic Transition Reduces Countries' Vulnerability to Civil Conflict." 1 Dec. 2003. Population Action International. 27 Nov. 2007. http://www.populationaction.org/Publications/Fact_ Sheets/FS23/Summary.shtml.
Introduced sometime during the 1940s, demographic transition was initially concerned with how population growth takes place in Europe and in North America.
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Evidently, what the demographic transition concept was able to prove during those days was the belief that as societies experience modernization, changes in traditional values take place. Demographic transition found this to be particularly true among women empowered to make decisions on issues like reproductive health. Previously, as indicated in many claims, such a scenario was not possible especially in certain societies where women were denied certain basic rights.
Ideally, what demographic transition hopes to see are many different countries fully in control of their growth, which should happen once progress takes place in their midst. A control in population growth, as promoted by demographic transition, essentially means a low birth rate.
However, such a scenario is not known to happen overnight. This is because there are phases by which countries need to go through first before they can reach the ideal set-up being espoused by demographic transition. At present, only highly developed societies are known to have gone through all the stages involved in demographic transition, and are now enjoying the benefits of a low fertility rate and growth that is generally stagnant. All other countries are classified as falling in between the various phases.
Basically, there are three different stages involved in demographic transition. The first of three is characterized by a birth rate that is extremely high, but with slow population growth since death rates also happen to be quite high.
The second phase of demographic transition is characterized by the introduction of the first signs of progress as seen in more modern medicines, and improved public and personal health. Job opportunities begin to abound as well as more factories and office buildings are built. As a result, death rates fall sharply although the fertility rate remains high.
The third demographic transition phase presents a continued death rate decline. However, of greater significance in this particular demographic transition stage is the accompanying fall in the birth rate, mainly because many women have entered the work force.
As women begin to be more concerned with building a career, they either delay plans of starting a family or opt to have smaller ones if they ever decide to get married. This is usually the final stage of the demographic transition process. This is where a given society experiences controlled population growth with a low fertility rate, largely because its people are preoccupied with other concerns and not merely limited to raising a family.
Sources:
"Demographic Transition." Citizendium -- The Citizens' Compendium. 8 Oct. 2007. 27 Nov. 2007. http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Demographic_transit ion.
Rosenberg, Matt. "Demographic Transition." About, Inc. 27 Nov. 2007. http://geography.about.com/od/culturalgeography/a/ demotransition.htm.
"How Demographic Transition Reduces Countries' Vulnerability to Civil Conflict." 1 Dec. 2003. Population Action International. 27 Nov. 2007. http://www.populationaction.org/Publications/Fact_ Sheets/FS23/Summary.shtml.
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