The Demographic Transition

A life altering educational experience.

The Demographic Transition is a process with several stages, explaining how a country transitions from a LDC to a MDC.

Stage 1 - Low Growth

• High CBR – have 6 kids so 3 can survive.

• High CDR – famine, disease, animal attacks.

• Low or Zero NIR • Low or Zero Growth

• This was the stage for most of human history.

• From the Agricultural Revolution to the Industrial Revolution, the population did grow (5 million to 800 million), but stayed at Stage 1.

Stage 2 – High Growth

• High CBR – traditional large families, religion, poor women’s rights, etc

• Low CDR, it is dropping suddenly. The Industrial and Medical Revolutions contributed to this.

• High Growth• High NIR

• Population grew 10 x’s faster than the past. Why?

• Industrial Revolution18th Century – Improved diet, transportation/preservation of foods, fresh fruits and veggies, sanitation, fresh water.

• Medical Revolution 20th Century –After WWII LDCs were introduced to medicine, vaccines, and vitamins saving many lives.

Stage 3 – Moderate Growth

• Dropping CBR • Slowly dropping CDR• NIR is dropping slowly• The country is in the

process of changing from an LDC to a MDC.

• Why the drop in CBR?• Changes in social

customs – religion, women’s rights & jobs

• Infant survival and smaller families, not farmers anymore.

• World is becoming more urban/modern.

Stage 4 – Low Growth

• Low CBR• Low CDR• Low NIR

• Why do MDC’s have close to Zero Population Growth?

• Social Customs, women working, contraceptives, kids are expensive.

• Adults choose to do other things than have kids.