Economics · Economic development. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.
A country's population changes for two reasons: natural change (births minus deaths) and net migration (immigration minus emigration). Birth and death rates are measured per 1,000 of the population per year.
Birth rates are often higher in low-income countries: children work and support parents in old age, fewer women are educated or in paid work, and contraception is less available. Death rates fall with better healthcare, food, water and sanitation.
The optimum population is the size that gives the highest output per head with the resources available. Age structure matters too. An ageing population means fewer workers and more spending on pensions and healthcare; a very young one needs more schools.
Students forget that birth and death rates are per thousand, not per hundred. A birth rate of 30 means 30 births for every 1,000 people, which is 3%.
Answer: The population rises by 120,000 (1.5% of 8 million).
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