The document compares the population characteristics of more economically developed countries (MEDC's) and less economically developed countries (LEDC's). It finds that MEDC's typically have lower birth rates and death rates, resulting in little or no natural population increase. Their population structures show fewer people under age 15. LEDC's have higher birth rates and natural increase, with more than 30-55% of their populations under age 15.

1. Objectives:
•Identify the main differences between MEDC’s and
LEDC’s using population data and population pyramids.

2. Characteristic Definition
Birth Rate
(BR)
Death Rate
(DR)
Natural
Increase
Stage in DTM
(Demographic
Transition
Model)
Population
Structure
Line graphs showing
relationship between birth
and death rate through
time.
Live births per 1000 people
per year
Make up of a population by
age and sex, shown by
population pyramids
Population growth when BR
is higher than DR. Replaced
by natural decrease when
BR is lower
Deaths per 1000 people per
year

3. Characteristic Definition MEDC’s
Birth Rate
(BR)
Live births per 1000 people
per year
Death Rate
(DR)
Deaths per 1000 people per
year
Natural
Increase
Population growth when BR is
higher than DR. Replaced by
natural decrease when BR is
lower
Stage in DTM
(Demographic
Transition
Model)
Line graphs showing
relationship between birth
and death rate through time.
Population
Structure
Make up of a population by
age and sex, shown by
population pyramids
Low % under
age 15 (below
25%)
Low or non-
existent; can be
a minus value
4 or 5 (Stage
5 when DR is
higher than
BR)
Low (typical
value 8-15)
Low average (9-
10)

4. Characteristic Definition MEDC’s LEDC’s
Birth Rate (BR) Live births per 1000
people per year
Low (typical
values 8-15)
Death Rate
(DR)
Deaths per 1000
people per year
Low (average
9-10)
Natural
Increase
Population growth when
BR is higher than DR.
Replaced by natural
decrease when BR is
lower
Low or non-
existent; can
be a minus
value
Stage in DTM
(Demographic
Transition
Model)
Line graphs showing
relationship between
birth and death rate
through time.
4 or 5
(Stage 5
when DR is
higher than
BR)
Population
Structure
Make up of a population
by age and sex, shown
by population pyramids
Low % under
age 15
(below 25%)
2 or 3 (Stage
2 when
Natural
Increase is
large
High (typical
values 20-
55)
High % under
age 15 (30-
55%)
Low (average
9-10)
High

5. Characteristic Definition MEDC’s LEDC’s
Birth Rate (BR) Live births per 1000 people
per year
Low (typical values
8-15)
High (typical
values
Death Rate (DR) Deaths per 1000 people per
year
Low (average 9-10) Low (average
9-10)
Natural Increase Population growth when BR is
higher than DR. Replaced by
natural decrease when BR is
lower
Low or non-
existent; can be a
minus value
High
Stage in DTM
(Demographic
Transition Model)
Line graphs showing
relationship between birth
and death rate through time.
4 or 5 (Stage 5
when DR is higher
than BR)
2 or 3 (Stage 2
when Natural
Increase is
large)
Population
Structure
Make up of a population by
age and sex, shown by
population pyramids
Low % under age
15 (below 25%)
High % under
age 15 (30 –
50%)

6. Describe the differences
and similarities between
MEDC’s and LEDC’s from
the table of information
you have produced.

8. Tasks
Use the population pyramids of Germany and Pakistan to
answer the following questions.
1. How many people are there aged under 15 in (i) Gemany
(ii) Pakistan
2. How many people are there aged over 64 in (i) Germany
(ii) Pakistan
3. How many people are there of working age (20-60) in
(i) Germany
(ii) Pakistan

10. As identified previously, MEDc’s and LEDC’s often have dramatically
different birth rates, but why is this?
Children can be seen as an
economic cost that reduces
the amount of money left for
purchasing consumer goods
and services.
Women are more career
orientated. They now work
for longer and start families
later in life.
Children seen as an economic
asset. They can provide an
income for families.
Lack of money to be spent on
family planning and education
about family planning

11. A fall in a country’s birth rate usually accompanies an increase in national
and personal wealth. The national government has more funds to promote
birth control campaigns and to set up family-planning clinics. With
greater wealth, attitudes to children change, as identified previously in
the differences between MEDC’s and LEDC’s.
Lowering the birth rate allows movement to stage 3 of the DTM. If
this continues then transition to stage 4 will occur. This is where most
European countries are at.

12. Birth Rate per
1000
GDP per capita
(US$)
UK 9 24000
Canada 9 23000
Australia 12 19000
Saudi Arabia 34 8500
Russia 8 4500
China 14 1000
Brazil 19 2500
Peru 23 2000
Algeria 24 1500
Bangladesh 30 700
Mali 49 200
Niger 55 100
Plot the
information
from the table
onto a scatter
graph.
X axis = birth
rate
Y axis = GDP
per capita

13. Answer the following questions
1. What type of correlation is displayed on your graph?
2. Describe the results produced on the graph?
3. There are 3 anomalies on the graph. Can you identify
them?
4. Explain why these anomalies exist.