Annotated outline: the state of the demographic transition in Africa

Abstract

The demographic transition theory postulates that generally as a result of socio-economic development, western societies evolved from populations with high mortality and fertility conditions to those with low mortality and fertility conditions. Consequently. African societies and societies in other developing and transitional economies in the world are expected to reflect some signs of the demographic transition as they make bold steps to advance on the scale or socio-economic development. Although, what happened in the Western World cannot be directly replicated in Africa or elsewhere in the world, it is expected that if the genera tenets of the demographic transition theory are assumed to apply to the region, and some available empirical evidence is carefully put together and analysed, it would be possible to identify the transition indicators applicable to the region, and use these indicators to guide policy maKing and planning in the African countries. This is particularly important as the region makes concerted effort to bring about sustainable development.