UPSC Prelims 2012 · Question 38 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2012 question on Demographic Transition Stages
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2012
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectGeography
- TopicHuman and Economic Geography
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeChronology
Consider the following specific stages of demographic transition associated with economic development:
1. Low birthrate with low death rate.
2. High birthrate with high death rate.
3. High birthrate with low death rate.
Select the correct order of the above stages using the codes given below.
Show answer
Answer: C. 2, 3, 1
Verdict
Correct Answer: 2, 3, 1
Analysis
The demographic transition model explains how population growth changes as a society moves from an agrarian economy to a modern industrial economy.
1. High birthrate with high death rate — Stage 2 in the given sequence
This represents the pre-industrial or early agrarian stage.
Birthrate is high, but death rate is also high due to famine, disease, poor sanitation and lack of medical facilities. Hence, population growth remains low.
2. High birthrate with low death rate — Stage 3 in the given sequence
This represents the early expanding phase.
Death rate falls due to better food supply, sanitation and healthcare, but birthrate remains high. This causes rapid population growth or population explosion.
3. Low birthrate with low death rate — Stage 1 in the given sequence
This represents the developed or post-industrial phase.
Both birthrate and death rate are low due to urbanization, education, women’s empowerment and access to family planning. Population growth becomes slow or stable.
Extra UPSC info
* Demographic transition shows the link between economic development and population change.
* India’s population growth was almost stagnant before 1921.
* The year 1921 is called the Year of Great Divide in India’s demographic history.
* Falling death rate with high birthrate leads to rapid population growth.
* Replacement level fertility is usually around 2.1 children per woman.
* Demographic dividend occurs when the working-age population is larger than the dependent population.
How to crack it
The correct order is 2, 3, 1 because societies first have high birth and death rates, then high birthrate with falling death rate, and finally low birth and death rates.