Question

[AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY]

Answer 1

D. In order for a country's population to be able to replace itself over time, its total fertility rate needs to be above what is known as replacement fertility. This is the fertility rate at which women give birth to enough babies to sustain population levels. Most of the time, this is set at 2.1 children per woman. The replacement rate can be higher in underdeveloped countries due to maternal mortality and child mortality. According to the table, China's fertility rate is at 1.8, which is below replacement fertility. This means that the population of China would not be able to replace itself over time.

E. China's population statistics are unusual for an economy that is still in the process of industrializing. This is because underdeveloped countries tend to have higher fertility rates, due to low levels of education, lack of family planning or high mother and child mortality. Therefore, we would normally expect China to have a higher fertility rate, as it is not a completely industrialized country yet.