Which of the following is true of the total fertility rate (TFR)?
A) TFRs are lower in the least developed nations.
B) TFRs below 1.8 mean that a country's population is getting younger and growing fast.
C) TFRs below 2.1 mean that a country's population is decreasing and growing older.
D) High TFRs indicate increased difficulty in supporting the older population.
E) The higher the TFRs, the greater is the stability of a population.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is the average number of children a woman would have over her reproductive years, assuming she experiences the prevailing age-specific fertility rates at the time of her birth. A TFR of 2.1 is known as the replacement level fertility rate, which is the rate at which a population replaces itself from one generation to the next, without migration.
Option A is incorrect because TFRs are generally higher in the least developed nations, often due to a lack of access to family planning and education. Option B is incorrect because a TFR below 1.8 indicates a population decline, not growth. Option D is incorrect because high TFRs indicate a larger number of young people in the population, not difficulty in supporting older people. Option E is incorrect because a high TFR can lead to population growth, but it does not necessarily indicate stability.
Therefore, option C is correct because a TFR below 2.1 means that the number of children born is not enough to replace the population, and this can result in a decrease in population size and an aging population.

Which of the Following Is True of the Total Fertility