Practice question · Multiple choice
Crude birth rates are sensitive to age structure, whereas the total fertility rate isolates cohort childbearing. Why does this distinction matter when comparing an ageing nation with a younger one?
Hints
- What happens to the denominator of a crude rate when life expectancy increases?
- Does a rate calculated per 1,000 total people isolate women of reproductive age?
Show the answer
D. Ageing populations may record fewer births despite higher individual fertility
Why
Crude rates reflect the whole denominator, so a country with a high proportion of elderly people can show a low crude birth rate even if women of childbearing age have relatively large families. TFR removes this age-composition distortion.
Practise Population: Structure and Dynamics
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