In demographic transition theory, a population that shows a very high growth rate is generally characterised by which combination of birth rate and death rate?

Introduction / Context:
Population studies and demography are important parts of general knowledge for many competitive exams. The demographic transition model explains how birth rates and death rates change as a society develops. This question checks whether you understand which combination of birth rate and death rate leads to a very high growth rate of population in a country.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on growth rate of population, not on absolute population size.
• We are given four combinations of birth and death rates.
• We assume that population growth rate is roughly equal to birth rate minus death rate in a given period.

Concept / Approach:
Population growth rate is determined by the balance between births and deaths, ignoring migration for simplicity. If the birth rate is much higher than the death rate, the population will grow rapidly. In contrast, if both rates are high and roughly equal, growth will be low, and if both rates are low and similar, growth will also be low. A low birth rate combined with a high death rate would even cause population decline. Therefore, a high birth rate combined with a low death rate is the combination that creates very high growth of population.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Remember that population growth rate is approximately birth rate minus death rate.Step 2: Consider high birth and high death rates. The difference between the two is small, so growth is low.Step 3: Consider high birth and low death rates. The difference is large and positive, so population grows very fast.Step 4: Consider low birth and low death rates. The difference is small, so growth is again low.Step 5: Consider low birth and high death rates. The difference is negative, so population might decline.Step 6: Therefore, the combination of high birth rate and low death rate is the one associated with a very high population growth rate.

Verification / Alternative check:
Many developing countries that are in the second stage of the demographic transition show high birth rates with significantly reduced death rates due to better health care and sanitation. These countries often experience a population explosion, which matches the theoretical reasoning above. Textbooks and exam guides use this example to illustrate why this combination leads to rapid growth.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
High birth rate and high death rate: Both rates are high but similar, so net growth is modest or low, characteristic of pre transition societies.
Low birth rate and low death rate: Both rates are low, so net growth is also low, characteristic of mature industrial societies.
Low birth rate and high death rate: Here deaths exceed births, which can lead to declining population, not high growth.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to focus only on the birth rate and ignore the death rate. Students may think that a high birth rate alone guarantees high growth, but the death rate can offset this. Always think of the net balance between the two. Remember that high birth plus low death gives a large positive difference, which means rapid population growth.

Final Answer:
A very high population growth rate is associated with a high birth rate and a low death rate.