How many stages of demographic transition are suggested by C. P. Blacker? 

The correct answer is: 5.

The demographic transition model, as suggested by C. P. Blacker, describes the transformation of a country’s population structure over time. This model is crucial for understanding how population changes impact social, economic, and environmental conditions. Blacker suggested that this transition occurs in five distinct stages, each characterized by differing birth and death rates.

Key Points

• Stage 1: High Stationary
  • Characterized by high birth and death rates which cancel each other out, leading to a stable and relatively low population.
• Stage 2: Early Expanding
  • Marked by a decline in death rates while birth rates remain high, resulting in a rapid population increase.
• Stage 3: Late Expanding
  • Both birth rates and death rates start to decline, but birth rates remain higher than death rates, leading to a slower population growth.
• Stage 4: Low Stationary
  • Both birth and death rates are low, stabilizing the population with minimal growth.
• Stage 5: Declining
  • Birth rates fall below death rates, leading to a decline in the total population.

Additional Information

• Socio-Economic Impacts:
  • Each stage of demographic transition reflects different socio-economic conditions, such as healthcare improvements, industrialization, and changes in societal norms related to family size and childbearing.
• Policy Implications:
  • Understanding the stages helps governments and organizations to design effective policies for economic development, healthcare, and education systems tailored to the population's needs.
• Global Variations:
  • Different countries may experience these stages at different times and rates due to variations in cultural, economic, and political factors.