The big idea: As a country develops economically, two things usually happen:
- Fertility falls — women have fewer children. - Life expectancy rises — people live longer.
The table below shows the pattern: richer, more-developed countries have low fertility and high life expectancy.
| Country | Fertility rate (children per woman) | Life expectancy (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1.3 | 84 |
| Germany | 1.5 | 81 |
| Brazil | 1.6 | 76 |
| India | 2.0 | 70 |
| Kenya | 3.3 | 67 |
| Niger | 6.8 | 61 |
Key terms
- Fertility rate — the average number of children a woman has.
- Economic development — rising income, education, health and living standards.
- Demographic dividend — the economic boost when a large share of people are of working age (few dependants).
The main reasons
- Female education & jobs — educated women in work tend to delay and have fewer children.
- Lower child mortality — when more children survive, families don't need to have as many.
- Cost of children — in cities, children cost more and work less, so families have fewer.
- Family planning — better access to contraception lets families choose smaller sizes.
Explain two reasons why fertility rates tend to fall as a country develops economically.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
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A window of opportunity: When fertility falls, a country can get a demographic dividend: a large working-age population with relatively few dependants (children and elderly).
More workers supporting fewer dependants can boost the economy — if there are enough jobs.
Suggest two ways a large working-age population can deliver economic gains to a country.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Develop the point: Suggest/Explain needs development — don't just say 'more workers'; say more workers → more output and taxes → economic growth.
How this is tested: Life expectancy for several countries often comes as a radial (spoke) chart — one spoke per country, with rings for the scale — rather than a bar chart. The first marks are quick Identify (read a country's value off its spoke) and Estimate (a sensible figure from the rings), each worth [1]. Always quote the units (years) and check the scale before you answer.
Read the scale rings first, then read each country's value along its spoke.
Interactive diagram
Explore the labelled diagram, charts and maps for this topic in full study mode.
Using the radial chart: (a) identify the country with the highest life expectancy [1]; (b) estimate Brazil's life expectancy [1].
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
| Country | Fertility rate (children per woman) | Life expectancy (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1.3 | 84 |
| Germany | 1.5 | 81 |
| Brazil | 1.6 | 76 |
| India | 2.0 | 70 |
| Kenya | 3.3 | 67 |
| Niger | 6.8 | 61 |
IB-style question — read the chart
Using the table above: (a) identify the country with the lowest life expectancy [1]; (b) estimate India's life expectancy [1]; (c) describe the relationship between fertility and life expectancy [2].
How to answer each part
- (a) Identify the lowest. Scan the life-expectancy column — Niger is lowest at 61 years.
- (b) Estimate India. Read India's row → about 70 years.
- (c) Describe the relationship. It is negative/inverse: countries with high fertility (Niger 6.8) have low life expectancy (61), while low-fertility countries (Japan 1.3) have high life expectancy (84).
Final answer
(a) Niger; (b) ≈ 70 years; (c) a negative relationship — higher fertility goes with lower life expectancy.