Demographic Transition

Abstract Demographic transition describes population change over time from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates, with a lagged decline in birth rate which leads to a larger population. At the end of the transition, population approaches homeostasis. The second demographic transition has taken place in many western nations since the late 1960s. During this transition, fertility falls below replacement level, and people tend to postpone marriage and parenthood and to choose more flexible partnerships. Globalization contributes to the second demographic transition by creating an unprecedented level of uncertainty. Demographic transition is a set of interrelated massive structural changes in mortality, fertility, age, migration and family. Demographic transition theory is a macro‐level theory that attributes mortality and fertility decline to industrialization. The reformulation of demographic transition theory adds ideational factors to explain fertility decline, including rational choices embodied in the supply–demand framework, the diffusion of innovative fertility restriction perspective and the theory of demographic change and response.