To determine the most likely cause of Japan's negative population growth rate, let's carefully examine the demographic factors presented in the chart: population growth rate, fertility rate, and life expectancy.
1. Population Growth Rate:
- Japan: -0.10%
- Uganda: 3.32%
- Mexico: 1.07%
- Global Average: 1.10%
Japan is the only country among those listed with a negative population growth rate, indicating that its population is slightly decreasing.
2. Fertility Rate:
- Japan: 1.39
- Uganda: 6.05
- Mexico: 2.25
- Global Average: 2.45
The fertility rate represents the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime. A fertility rate significantly below the replacement level of around 2.1 children per woman is often associated with a declining population, assuming other factors remain constant. Japan's fertility rate of 1.39 is substantially lower than the global average, indicating fewer births.
3. Life Expectancy:
- Japan: 84 years
- Uganda: 54 years
- Mexico: 77 years
- Global Average: 68 years
Life expectancy reflects the average number of years a person is expected to live. Japan has a high life expectancy of 84 years, which indicates good health and longevity but does not directly cause a decline in population.
Considering these factors:
- High life expectancy: While Japan has a high life expectancy, this mainly indicates good healthcare and living conditions. It is not a cause for population decline. It would generally contribute to a stable or growing population by lengthening the lifespan of individuals.
- Low fertility rate: Japan’s fertility rate is very low at 1.39, well below the replacement level of 2.1. This suggests that on average, each generation has fewer children than needed to replace itself, leading to potential population decline over time.
- High fertility rate: This would not be applicable to Japan, as its fertility rate is low.
- Low life expectancy: Japan's life expectancy is very high, so this factor does not apply.
After analyzing the factors:
The most likely cause of Japan's negative population growth rate is low fertility rate.
