Stage by Stage
In this stage, social changes—such as women’s increased education and access to contraception—lead to declining birth rates.
Stage 3
A cultural preference for large families often keeps this rate high in early stages of the DTM.
What is Birth Rate
This demographic trend is rising in the Caribbean, especially in Barbados and Cuba, creating pressure on pension systems.
What is population aging
The increase in women pursuing higher education and formal employment relates to this major sociological factor that reduces fertilit
What is women's empowerment?
A common criticism is that the DTM is based on this region’s historical experience.
What is Western Europ
Falling death rates due to improved sanitation and medical care but persisting high birth rates characterize this stage.
What is stage 2
This social factor, when improved for girls and women, is one of the strongest predictors of falling fertility rates.
What is Fertility Rates
Haiti’s persistently high fertility rate places it in this approximate stage of the DTM.
What is Stage 2
The movement of skilled workers abroad affects fertility because it removes people of reproductive age; this is the name of the phenomeno
What is the brain drain
Critics say the model assumes all countries will follow the same path, a flaw described by this term.
What is ethnocentrism
This stage of the Demographic Transition Model is marked by high birth rates and high death rates.
What is stage 1
Introduction of vaccines and public health measures primarily lowers this demographic measure in Stage 2.
What is Death RatesWhat is Death Rate
Caribbean societies with low fertility, high emigration, and aging populations face this long-term challenge.
What is population decline
This sociological theory suggests that economic growth leads to demographic transition through rising living standard
What is modernization theory
The DTM underestimates the role of global inequalities, a criticism common to this major social science perspective
What is dependency theory
Some demographers argue that this “new” stage involves declining population as birth rates fall below replacement.
What is stage 5
This sociological process—the shift from agricultural to industrial work—tends to reduce family size.
What is Industrialization
This dependency measure increases when a country has many elderly people and fewer working-age adults.
What is the dependency ratio
The acceptance of contraception and family planning reflects changing values described by this sociocultural process
What is secularization
Critics argue the DTM underestimates the role of this demographic process that can drastically reshape age structure
What is migration
Very low birth and death rates, often linked to urbanization and changing gender roles, define this stage.
What is Stage 4
Some Caribbean territories might be approaching this stage due to out-migration of youth and an aging population base.
What isStage 5Stage
This type of migration—common in Jamaica and Guyana—removes working-age adults and influences population structure.
What is out-migration / emigration
Movement from rural areas to urban centres increases access to education and healthcare; this is called this type of migration.
What is rural-to-urban migration
The DTM does not consider deliberate government policies such as
What are pronatalist/antinatalist policies