What the rates mean
Birth rate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a year. Death rate is the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year. Both are measured per 1,000 so that countries with different population sizes can be compared.
Population growth
The change in population is worked out with this formula:
Key idea
Population growth = birth rate − death rate + net migration. When the birth rate is higher than the death rate, a natural increase occurs.
For example, if a country records a birth rate of 28 per 1,000 and a death rate of 8 per 1,000, its natural increase is 20 per 1,000.
Influencing factors
- Raising the birth rate: early marriage, lack of family planning and a preference for large families.
- Lowering the death rate: good medical facilities, sufficient food, clean water and improved hygiene.
In developed countries, both birth and death rates are low, so population grows slowly. In developing countries the birth rate is usually high while the death rate falls, causing the population to grow quickly.
The gap between the birth rate and the death rate decides whether a country's population rises, falls or stays stable. When the birth rate far exceeds the death rate, the young population grows quickly. Governments use these rates to plan future needs such as schools, hospitals, housing and jobs so that national development stays balanced.