Question:

Describe the different stages of Demographic Transition Theory.

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Stages of Demographic Transition Theory
Updated On: Sep 23, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Demographic Transition Theory explains how a country's birth rate and death rate change together as it develops economically and socially, moving population growth through a set pattern of stages.

Step 2: Stage 1, high stationary.
Both birth rate and death rate are high, so population grows very slowly or stays almost flat. This describes pre-industrial societies with poor healthcare and high infant mortality that pushes families to have many children.

Step 3: Stage 2, early expanding.
Death rate falls sharply because of better medicine, food supply and sanitation, but birth rate stays high for a while, so population grows fast. Most developing countries starting modernisation pass through this stage.

Step 4: Stage 3, late expanding.
Birth rate now also starts falling, as education, urbanisation and family planning spread, while death rate keeps falling slowly. Population growth continues but at a slower pace than stage 2.

Step 5: Stage 4, low stationary.
Both birth rate and death rate settle at low levels, so population growth becomes slow or almost zero again, but this time with a much larger total population than stage 1. Many developed countries sit in this stage.

Final Answer:
The Demographic Transition Theory has four stages: high stationary, early expanding, late expanding and low stationary, moving a population from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates.\[ \boxed{\text{High stationary} \to \text{Early expanding} \to \text{Late expanding} \to \text{Low stationary}} \]
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