- Population growth is driven primarily by the number of births relative to deaths.
- Uganda shows a significantly high fertility rate of \(6.06\) compared to Japan (\(1.39\)) and Mexico (\(2.25\)).
- A high fertility rate indicates more children are born per woman, which is the strongest driver of population increase among the options provided.
- The correct explanation for Uganda's high population growth rate is: \(\boxed{\text{high fertility rate}}\).
Explanation
- Analyzing the population data
To understand why Uganda has such a high population growth rate, we first examine the data provided in the table. The population growth rate, which measures how quickly a population size changes over a period, is significantly higher in Uganda (3.32%) compared to Mexico (1.07%) and Japan (-0.10%). Population growth is largely determined by the number of births minus the number of deaths within a given timeframe.
- Comparing fertility rates
The fertility rate represents the average number of children born to a woman over her lifetime. Comparing the data across the three countries:
- Japan: 1.39
- Mexico: 2.25
- Uganda: 6.06
Uganda’s fertility rate of 6.06 is substantially higher than the other two countries. A high fertility rate means that, on average, more children are being born into the population, which is a primary driver for rapid population growth.
- Considering life expectancy
Now, consider life expectancy, which is the average number of years an individual is expected to live.
- Japan: 84 years
- Mexico: 77 years
- Uganda: 54 years
Uganda's life expectancy is the lowest of the three. Generally, lower life expectancy correlates with higher mortality rates, which would typically act to slow down rather than accelerate population growth. Therefore, low life expectancy is not the reason for the high growth rate. High life expectancy, as seen in Japan, is associated with a slower or negative growth rate when combined with a low fertility rate.
- Concluding the best explanation
In conclusion, the most powerful driver of population growth provided in our options is the fertility rate. With a rate of 6.06, Uganda has a significantly higher number of births per woman compared to the other nations, which directly translates to a faster increase in the total population size. Thus, the high fertility rate is the best explanation for the high population growth rate.
Examples
Demographers often use these metrics to project future population needs. For instance, knowing that a region has a high fertility rate helps governments plan for necessary infrastructure like schools, pediatric healthcare, and eventually, job creation as that larger generation reaches adulthood. Understanding these relationships allows policy makers to anticipate demographic shifts decades in advance. If a country has a growth rate of \(r = 3.32\%\) and a population of \(P\), the population after one year is \(P \times (1 + r) = P \times (1 + 0.0332) = 1.0332P\).