Question

4. Describe four stages of demographic transition in a typical LDC and compare them

with the stages of demographic transition in Western Europe

Answer 1

Demographic transition involves the transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as the country moves from pre industrial to an industrialized economy. It involves basically four stages in Least developed countries :

Stage 1 , which is a pre-industrial stage, there was high birth rates and death rates. There was a balanced population growth as there was scarcity of supply of food resources and thus the high death rate balanced the population growth.

Stage 2, which is a developed stage, there was an improvement in the healthcare, sanitation and food supply. As a result of which there is a drop in the death rates and thus a high population growth took place.

Stage 3, marks the decline in birth rates by the use of contraceptives, birth control measures, rising level of women's education, parental investment in child's education, reduction in child labor and thus the there was a check on population growth. This transition took place as a result of balance between the decline in the birth as well as death rate. But due to unawareness amongst the rural population about the birth control measures and increased support in agriculture, there was high birth rates.

Stage 4, marks the high level of birth rate and low death rates and thus rise in population growth. This needs to be monitored by creating an awareness about birth control measures in the rural population.

In case of demographic transition in Western Europe, there is a difference in Stage 4. In Western Europe, Stage 4 is marked by low birth rate and low death rate, leading to a balanced population growth. As a result, there is a shrinking youth population in Western Europe.

Stage 4 marks the balance in both birth rate and the death rate and thus there is a shrinking youth