506 MHR • Unit 5 Population Dynamics
Country or regionBirths per 1000
individuals in
1974Deaths per 1000
individuals in
1974
World
less industrialized
nations (average)
Uganda
Costa Rica
Turkey
more industrialized
nations (average)
Canada
United States
Norway30
45
28
39
15
15
15
12
16
5
12
7
9
10
Table 15.1
Births and deaths for selected countries and regions (from the Population Reference Bureau)Births per 1000
individuals in
1995Deaths per 1000
individuals in
1995
242852
26
231214
15
149
9
19
4
11
10
7
9
11
Births per 1000
individuals in
2001Deaths per 1000
individuals in
2001
222548
22
221111
15
139
8
19
4
7
10
8
9
10
industrialized countries remained high (and may
have increased with improvements in the health
of mothers). This corresponds to Stage 2 of the
demographic transition shown in Figure 15.3(A).
Because birth rates were so much higher than death
rates, the result was a period of rapid population
growth, as shown in Figure 15.3(B).
In Stage 3 of the transition, birth rates begin to
decline since there is no need to compensate for
high infant and child mortality — and there is no
cultural memory of a time when this was necessary.
Eventually the birth rate again matches the lowered
death rate and the population stabilizes, but at
a higher carrying capacity than before (due to
improvements in food production, among other
things). This condition, in which the birth and
death rates are approximately equal, is known as
zero population growth.
Demographers estimate that it took Britain 250 to
300 years to complete the demographic transition
process. The transition took less time (closer to
200 years) in other industrialized countries in
Europe, North America, and Japan, probably because
Britain shared its information and technology. Many
of the remaining nations in the world (those in
Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia) only began
their demographic transition during the twentieth
century. They experienced a much more rapid drop
in death rates, mostly as a result of the availability
of knowledge and technology from developed
nations. In many cases, these remaining countries
have gone from a traditional, high mortality rate to
a low one in a single generation and are still inStage 2 of their demographic transition. However,
evidence suggests that many of these populations
are already in Stage 3 — birth rates have begun to
decline, as shown in Table 15.1.
Table 15.1 shows birth rates for a few countries
in two general groups. As the name suggests, more
industrialized nations(sometimes called more
developed nations) tend to have large industries
requiring skilled workers and a higher standard of
living. These include the countries in Europe, as
well as Canada, the United States, New Zealand,
Australia, and Japan. The less industrialized nations
(less developed) include those in Africa and most
of Asia. Since countries were not grouped in this
same way in 1974, the averages for more and less
developed countries are not available for that year.
The demographic transition process can be
analyzed for populations ranging in size from the
global population to populations of individual
countries, and even down to those of small regions
(such as a city or a county). In Investigation 15-A
on page 508, you will determine the stage of
demographic transition that characterizes a particular
region. Note that you should conduct this investigation
with your teacher during a class excursion.http://www.mcgrawhill.ca/links/biology12
If your class is unable to go out into the field to collect data for
Investigation 15-A, several data sets suitable for doing this
investigation are available on the Internet. Go to the web site
above, and click on Web Links.