Final answer:
The demographic transition model is a 4-stage process that describes population growth in relation to industrial development. Stage 4 represents stabilization or a potential decline in population as both birth and death rates are low, often seen in advanced industrial societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The demographic transition model is a 4-stage process that describes the dynamics of population growth and how they correlate with stages of industrial development. It is a vital concept within demography, which is the study of population. Globally, countries transition through different stages:
- Stage 1: High birth and death rates
- Stage 2: High birth rates and declining death rates
- Stage 3: Declining birth rates and low death rates
- Stage 4: Low birth and death rates
Age structure diagrams for rapidly growing, slow growing, and stable populations are depicted in the first three stages of this model. You have inquired about what type of population change Stage 4 represents. In Stage 4, the population sees stabilization or even a potential decline. This stage is often associated with advanced industrial societies where both birth and death rates are low, leading to a stable or slowly changing population size.
These stages help us understand the transition from a rural, pre-industrial society to an urban, post-industrial society within the context of population dynamics and community ecology.