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The Human Population Essay

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Developing countries are in a situation immensely different than that of developed countries. Fertility rates in developing countries are generally declining, but still above the replacement level (Wright 2005). Population growth occurs when the births out number the deaths. At this population momentum, even after the total fertility rate is reduced to the replacement level, enormous growth is in store for developing countries (Wright 2005).

In developed countries like the United States, it is seemly different in that a developed population profile will increase and decrease accordingly (Wright 2005). This is due to demographic changes in comparison. As populations become larger and healthier we tend to see a decline in fertility …show more content…

Biological factors such as adaptive microorganisms and certain practices of modern medicine have played a key role. Such environmental factors like environmental pollutants and over crowding have provided the need for change. Cultural and behavioral factors include changes in lifestyle and over-all decreased moral values (Wahdan 1996).

Demographic changes encompass changes of both mortality and fertility. In essence, deaths and births which are represented in thousands as crude birth rates (CBR) and crude death rates (CDR) in order to compare countries regardless of their total size (Wright 2005).

The demographic transition is presented as occurring in four phases.

PHASE I is the stability resulting from a high crude birth rate (CBR) being offset by a equally high crude death rate (CDR).

PHASE II is marked by the declining CDR. This is considered to be the epidemiologic transition. CBR remains high and population growth takes place.

PHASE III is marked by a declining CBR due to a decline in fertility rate. Population growth remains constant.

PHASE IV is the modern stability is achieved by a continuing low CDR, but an equally low CBR.

The Human Population - 4

A stable population only occurs when the CDR and the CBR are equal (Wright 2005). Results tend to concentrate on mortality as they are the best indicators to measure and are random. However, overall mortality does

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