Which of the following statements is correct regarding population stabilization?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Stabilization occurs when birth and death rates are nearly equal.
Population stabilization is the stage where a population stops growing or shrinking, reaching a state of equilibrium. This is primarily achieved when the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) reaches the "replacement level" (approximately 2.1 children per woman), ensuring each generation replaces itself without significant increase. At this point, the number of births roughly balances the number of deaths, leading to a zero or near-zero growth rate.
The other options are incorrect because, birth rates exceeding death rates causes growth, fertility cannot drop to zero in a living population, and doubling every decade represents an explosion, not stability.