Demographic trends: birth rate and death rate
Birth rates (number of live births per 1,000 population) and death rates (deaths per 1,000 population) have changed dramatically; birth rates declined sharply in UK since 1970s, death rates remain low due to medical advances.
Real World
The UK's total fertility rate dropped to 1.49 in 2022 — well below the 2.1 replacement level — partly because graduates like those from the University of Manchester are delaying parenthood until their 30s due to student debt and housing costs.
Exam Focus
Always distinguish birth rate (live births per 1,000) from fertility rate (births per woman) — confusing them loses marks on 'explain' questions.
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