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Beyond Stage 5 of the DTM: What problems will this pose? Rayyaan
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he demographic transition model displays the change in population as a country develops through various ‘stages’. The changes in both death and birth rate respectively are also shown to suggest possible reasons for the change in population. Stage 1 is represented by high birth and death rates which tend to fluctuate slightly, due to various factors such as poor diet and sanitation, as well as the lack of access to
contraception and the perception of large families being valuable. This results in a low population, with only small communities such as tribes in the Amazon still at this stage. Stage 2 marks a sharp decline in death rate, as developing countries see an improvement in diet, and significant advances in hygiene and healthcare, all of which resulted in an increase in life expectancy. Birth rate remained high, causing a rapid increase
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in population. By looking at the UK’s progression in the past 200 years, it can be seen that death rate continues to decline at a slower rate in Stage 3, but the most significant change is the drop in birth rates, caused by the emancipation of women, an improvement in both education and access to contraception and family planning services, compounded by the fact children are starting to become an economic liability.
