Question

What factor is most likely to have caused this bulge in the age pyramid in the Netherlands in 2014?

1) a decline in the birth rate during the Great Depression of the 1930s
2) a surge in the birth rate after World War II ended in 1945
3) the increased availability of oral contraceptives in the 1950s and 1960s
4) an increase in the death rate during World War I and the influenza epidemic of 1917

Answer 1

The surge in the birth rate after World War II is the most likely factor for the bulge in the age pyramid in the Netherlands in 2014.

Step-by-step explanation:

The factor that is most likely to have caused the bulge in the age pyramid in the Netherlands in 2014 is option 2) a surge in the birth rate after World War II ended in 1945.

After World War II, there was a period of high birth rates known as the "baby boom". This resulted in a significant increase in the number of people in the population pyramid in the age group represented by the bulge. As these individuals age, they will continue to push the age group upwards.

The information provided also mentions that there was a decline in births from 1975-1990 and then another slight increase in birth rates from 1995-2000, which further supports the idea that the surge in birth rate after World War II is the most likely factor for the bulge in the age pyramid in 2014.