Consider the following countries : 1. Italy 2. Japan 3. Nigeria 4. South Korea 5. South Africa Which of the above countries are frequently mentioned in the media for their low birth rates, or ageing population or declining population ?

States that industrial (higher-standard-of-living) countries usually have lower birth rates and gives Japan as an example of low growth.

A student could note that Italy is an industrial/high‑income European country like Japan and therefore might exhibit similar low birth/slow growth patterns to investigate media references.

Defines a demographic stage (stage III) characterised by low death rate and low birth rate leading to diminishing population growth.

If Italy is placed in stage III of the demographic transition (as other developed countries are), one would expect media coverage about low/declining population to follow — worth checking Italian demographic data and press.

Lists causes of low birth rate (industrialisation, women’s participation, improved education) that are typical of developed economies.

A student can compare whether these socio‑economic factors apply to Italy (industrialised economy, female labour force participation, education levels) to assess plausibility of media focus on low births/ageing.

Explains that female participation in work and higher living standards reduce birth rates, producing low natural growth.

Knowing Italy has relatively high urbanisation and female workforce participation by OECD standards (basic outside fact), a student could infer these mechanisms plausibly lead to media discussion of ageing/decline and then check reports.

Notes that some regions/countries can reach fertility below replacement level (examples include several Indian states), showing that low birth rates and eventual population decline are documented outcomes of transition.

A student can apply the same logic to a developed nation: if Italy’s crude birth rate is below replacement (external fact to check), media mention of decline/ageing becomes plausible.

Explicit example: states Japan reduced its annual birth rate from 22 per thousand (1947) to 13 per thousand 'today', showing a marked decline in fertility.

A student could combine this historical birth‑rate decline with external facts (current media reports, demographic time series) to check whether low birth rates persist and link to ageing/decline.

Gives Japan's population growth rate (1.3%) and presents the general pattern that industrial countries tend to have lower birth rates than agrarian ones.

Use the rule that industrialisation correlates with low birth rates plus knowledge that Japan is highly industrialised to infer a likelihood of low fertility/slow growth, then verify with contemporary data.

Contains an explicit classroom prompt: 'Explain how Japan was able to almost halve her birth rate within two decades', implying Japan is a known case of rapid fertility decline.

Treat Japan as a cited case study of fertility fall; a student could look up timing and demographic consequences (ageing, lower replacement) on a world map/time series to evaluate current media claims.

Defines causes of low birth rate (industrialisation, female labour participation, education) — general mechanisms that explain why countries like Japan might have low fertility.

If one verifies that these conditions apply to Japan (industrial economy, high female workforce participation, education levels), they can reasonably infer low birth rates and pursue evidence of ageing/decline.

Explains the demographic pattern: survival of children, urban/industrial employment and preference for smaller families lead to reduced birth rates and low natural growth.

Combine this general pattern with knowledge that Japan is urbanised and has high child survival to suspect low natural growth and then check for ageing/decline indicators.

Defines a demographic stage characterised by low birth and low death rates leading to diminishing population growth — a general pattern for mature societies.

A student could check whether South Korea is a mature/industrial society (via basic country facts) and therefore likely to fit this stage, which would make media reports about low birth/ageing plausible.

Lists drivers of low birth rate (industrial expansion, women’s participation, education) that commonly accompany development.

Compare South Korea’s level of industrialization, female labour participation, and education (basic external facts) to see if these drivers apply and hence could explain low fertility media coverage.

States that industrial countries and urban districts usually have lower birth rates than agricultural/rural areas — a broad rule linking development to low fertility.

Using a world map or standard classification (South Korea is an industrialised, highly urbanised country), a student could infer this rule makes low birth-rate reporting more likely.

Gives Japan as an explicit example where birth rate fell dramatically with development, showing a regional precedent of very low fertility in East Asia.

A student could note that Japan and South Korea are both East Asian industrialised countries; given Japan’s experience, one might reasonably investigate whether South Korea shows similar media focus.

Notes that fertility can fall below replacement level in some regions/states, illustrating that subnational or national declines to very low birth rates are documented phenomena.

A student could treat South Korea as a whole (like these examples) and check basic demographic indicators to see if its fertility is below replacement, which would support the plausibility of media emphasis.

Defines Stage III of demographic transition as 'low death rate and low birth rate' leading to diminishing population growth — a general pattern linking development to low birth rates.

A student could check whether South Africa's demographic indicators (birth and death rates, stage classification from demography sources) match Stage III to assess plausibility of the claim.

Lists factors (industrial expansion, women's labour participation, education) that produce low birth rates — explains mechanisms behind fertility decline.

Compare South Africa's levels of industrialization, female labour force participation and education to infer whether these drivers could produce low birth rates there.

States that industrial/urban societies with higher living standards tend to have smaller families and reduced birth rates, producing low natural growth — a broad rule linking socio-economic conditions to ageing/low fertility.

Using a world map or socioeconomic data, locate South Africa's urbanization and development status to judge whether this rule likely applies.

Gives an explicit example (Japan) with low population growth and notes industrial countries often have lower birth rates — an empirical precedent of developed-country ageing/decline.

A student could contrast South Africa with the Japan example (e.g., economic classification, demographic trajectory) to see if similar media attention would be expected.

Notes that subnational regions (Indian states) can fall below replacement fertility, showing that low/declining fertility can occur unevenly and at varied development levels.

Check whether South Africa has regional variation in fertility or provinces with below-replacement rates to assess potential for ageing/decline narratives in media.