170 CHAPTER 7 Human Population Change and the Environment
Australia, and Japan have the lowest birth rates in the
world. Indeed, some countries,
such as Germany, have birth rates
just below those needed to sustain
their populations and are declin-
ing slightly in numbers.
Highly developed countries
also have low infant mortality rates (Figure 7.11a). The
infant mortality rate of the United States was 6.1 in 2011,
compared with a world rate of 44. Highly developed
countries have longer life expectancies (78 years in the
United States versus 70 years worldwide).
Per person GNI PPP is a country’s gross national
income (GNI) in purchasing power parity (PPP) divided
by its population. It indicates the amount of goods and
services an average citizen of that particular country could
buy in the United States. There is a high average per per-
son GNI PPP in the United States—$45,640—as compared
to the worldwide figure of $10,240.
In moderately developed countries, such as Mexico, Turkey,
Thailand, and most South American nations, birth rates
and infant mortality rates are higher than those of highly
developed countries, but they are declining. Moderately
developed countries have a medium level of industrializa-
tion, and their average per person GNI PPPs are lower than
those of highly developed countries. Less developed countries,
such as Bangladesh, Niger, Ethiopia, Laos, and Cambodia,
have the shortest life expectancies, the lowest average per
person GNI PPPs, the highest birth rates, and the highest
infant mortality rates in the world (Figure 7.11b).
Replacement-level fertility is
usually given as 2.1 children. The
number is greater than 2.0 be-
cause some infants and children
die before they reach reproduc-
tive age. Worldwide, the total
fertility rate (TFR) is currently 2.5,
well above the replacement level.The Demographic Transition
Demographers recognize four demographic stages based
on their observations of Europe as it became industrial-
ized and urbanized (Figure 7.11c). During these stages,- Define demographics and describe the
demographic transition. - Explain how highly developed and developing
countries differ in population characteristics
such as infant mortality rate, total fertility rate,
replacement-level fertility, and age structure.
W
orld population figures illustrate overall
trends but don’t describe other important as-
pects of the human population story, such as
population differences from country to coun-
try (Table 7.1). Demographics provides information on
the populations of various countries. Recall from Chapter
1 that countries are classified into two main groups—highly
developed and developing—based on population growth
rates, degree of industrialization,
and relative prosperity.
Highly developed countries such
as the United States, Canada,
France, Germany, Sweden,
Demographics of Countries
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
demographics
The applied branch
of sociology that
deals with population
statistics.infant mortality
rate The number
of deaths of infants
under age 1 per 1000
live births.replacement-level
fertility The number
of children a couple
must produce to
“replace” themselves.
total fertility rate
(TFR) The average
number of children
born to each woman.4HE WORLDS MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES s Table 7.1
2011 Population Population density
Country (in millions) (per square kilometer)
China 1346 141
India 1241 378
United States 312 32
Indonesia 238 125
Brazil 197 23
Pakistan 177 222
Nigeria 162 176
Bangladesh 151 1046
Russia 143 8
Japan 128 339Interpreting Data
Which of these countries is the most
crowded? Which is the least crowded?Population Reference Bureau