Final answer:
A negative doubling time, like -690 years for Italy, does not indicate a timeframe for population changes but reflects a declining population due to lower birth rates than death rates, which can't be captured by traditional doubling time calculations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The computed doubling time for Italy being -690 years suggests there is a misconception because doubling time cannot be negative in a real-world context. It does not mean the population will double or halve.
Instead, it indicates that the population is expected to decline rather than grow because the birth rates are lower than the death rates, leading to a negative population growth rate.
This is reflected in the demographic transition of countries like Italy which have a 'top-heavy' population pyramid, indicating a larger aging population supported by a smaller working-age population.
Therefore, the correct interpretation of a negative doubling time would be that it's a sign of population decline, not an actual timeframe for the population to double or halve.