Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography Practice Exam

What model shows the link between population growth and economic development?

1. Population pyramid model

2. Demographic transition model

3. Cultural diffusion model

4. Economic growth model

The correct answer is: Demographic transition model

The demographic transition model (DTM) effectively illustrates the relationship between population growth and economic development. This model describes the transition of a country's population over time through distinct stages, each characterized by varying birth and death rates, which correlate with the levels of economic development. In the initial stages of the DTM, typically associated with less economically developed regions, both birth and death rates are high, leading to slow population growth. As a country advances economically, it enters subsequent stages where death rates begin to decline significantly due to improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and nutrition, resulting in rapid population growth. Eventually, as economic development continues, birth rates also decline, leading to a stabilization of the population. This trajectory reflects the industrialization and urbanization aspects of economic development, making the DTM a valuable tool for understanding how demographic changes accompany and support economic progress.