Question

Write the difference between mortality and natality.

Answer 1

Natality or Fertility:

• It determines the growth of any population. In a population, the ability to produce a new baby from active reproducing organisms is called fertility. In growing, population natality is one of the important factors.
• The birth rate is the number of births per 1000 individuals per year. It can be calculated by the following formula –
  N = B/T
  where N = Natality/Birth rate
  B = Birth of children per 1000 people
  t = Time period in a year
• Bodenheimer divided the human population into 3 groups –
  1. Pre-reproduction population: Population below 18 years of age.
  2. Reproductive population: Population between 18 to 45 years of age.
  3. Post-reproductive population: Population above 45 years of age.
• A number of the reproductive population indicates an increase in population growth. Similarly, number post-reproductive population indicates a decrease in the population growth.

Mortality:

• Mortality or Death rate is the number of deaths per thousand persons in a year.
  M = D/T
  where M = mortality, D = Number of death in one thousand persons and t = time in years.
• In many countries, a decline in death rates is recorded which resulted in an increase in population. This could be because of the following reasons:
  1. Developed medical facility including Immunization vaccination.
  2. Level of cleanliness has increased.
  3. Awareness towards personal health & cleanliness has increased.
  4. Availability of food and water is in a sufficient amount.
• Mortality and Natality are the important factors which determine the population. In other words, using mortality and natality rate, population pattern of any country can be determined.
  1. Crude Birth Rate: The crude birth rate is the rate of births among a population of 1000.
  2. Annual growth rate = Natality/Birth rate – Mortality rate.

If mortality and natality are equal, population shape is stationary means the growth rate of the population will be zero. However, it occurs very rarely. It can be seen in some developed society.