Visualizing Environmental Science

Demographics of Countries 171

Demographics of countries

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Demographics of Countries 171

Environmental InSight

a. Infant Mortality Rates in Highly Developed Countries. Nurses

care for newborn infants in Israel, a highly developed country with

an infant mortality rate of 3.6.

c. The Demographic Transition. Demographers have identified

four stages through which a population progresses as its

society becomes industrialized.

b. Infant Mortality Rates in Developing Countries. This

premature Afghan baby was born in a refugee camp. The

infant mortality rate in Afghanistan, a less developed

country, is 131.

Size of population

Birth rate

Death rate

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Birth and death rates

(number per 1000 population) Relative population size

High

Low

Stage 1

Preindustrial

Stage 2

Transitional

Stage 3

Industrial

Stage 4

Postindustrial

Time

Women have many

children, but infant

mortality rate is high,

so population grows

very slowly.

Lowered death rate from improved

health care and more reliable food

and water supplies. Birth rate is still

high, and population grows rapidly.

Decline in birth

rate slows

population growth

despite relatively

low death rate.

People are better educated and

more affluent. They tend to take

steps to limit family size.

Population grows very slowly or

not at all.

Alberto Ceoloni/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom

Annie Griffiths Belt/
NG Image Collection

Interpreting Data

Is population increasing or decreasing in Stage 3 of

the demographic transition? Why?

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