A line graph shows the population increase in millions, the Natural Increase Rate and the Population in billions from the year 1950 to 2015. Three lines are shown: World population (billions), Annual increase (millions) and natural increase rate (%). World population (billions) starts at a little over 60 million in 1950, and steadily increases on a slow incline to just under 8 billion population in 2015. Annual increase (millions) starts at just under 40 million in 1950. It increases slowly, then sharply decreases in 1960 to just under 40 million. It sharply increases again, and then slowly increases on a small incline, reaching to 80 million in 1990, then slowly decreases to 60 million in 2015. The natural increase (%) is just under 2% in 1950, then increases with a sharp decrease to 1% in 1960 with a sharp increase, then a steady decline to just over 1% in 2015.
The figure represents world population growth between 1950 and 2015. Examine the figure and use it to answer the following questions.
A. When did NIR peak within this period, and what stage of the demographic transition in some regions is indicated by the shift that followed?
B. In 2–3 sentences, explain why world population would continue to increase, even if the NIR is decreasing.
C. In 2–3 sentences, describe one way in which data from this figure could be used to support a specific public policy initiative. Identify the initiative and connect it clearly to the data here.
A. The NIR peaked in 1960 within this period. The shift that followed indicates the transition from a high-natural-increase stage to a declining-natural-increase stage in some regions, which is characteristic of the demographic transition.
B. Even if the NIR is decreasing, world population would continue to increase because the base population is already large. Even with a lower rate of natural increase, the absolute number of births will still contribute to population growth.
C. This figure could be used to support a public policy initiative focused on family planning and birth control. The data shows how the annual increase in population has fluctuated over time, and the declining natural increase rate highlights the need for effective strategies to manage population growth. Implementing policies and programs that promote family planning can help control population growth and ensure sustainable development.
A. The NIR (Natural Increase Rate) peaked within this period in 1960. The shift that followed, with a sharp decrease in NIR, indicates the transition from stage 2 to stage 3 of the demographic transition in some regions. Stage 2 is characterized by high birth rates and high death rates, whereas stage 3 is characterized by declining birth rates and declining death rates due to improvements in healthcare and living conditions.
B. Even if the NIR is decreasing, the world population would continue to increase due to the high base population and the phenomenon known as population momentum. Population momentum refers to the continued growth of the population even after the birth rates have declined because of the large number of individuals already in the childbearing age group.
C. The data from this figure could be used to support a public policy initiative focused on sustainable population growth. By analyzing the trend of the annual increase in population, policymakers can identify the years with the highest increase and target those periods for implementing family planning programs and education campaigns to promote smaller family sizes. This initiative would align with the data showing a decrease in population growth over time.