Rural Population Change in Developing Countries: Lessons for Policymaking

Abstract

Rural agriculture uses more than one-third of the earth's land and employs more than 40% of the population, a figure that approaches 75% in developing countries. As a result, rural demographic change is of vital importance. This article monitors four driving factors in rural demographic change including the ratio of youth to the aged, the ratio of males to female, fertility levels and migration. Alongside conclusive findings, the authors bring to light the relevance of AIDS-related deaths, urbanisation, and city planning in demographic research.