Population changes and economic development in Zimbabwe

It is a commonly held theory that the population is related to levels of social and economic development. The annual work of www.census.gov gives much drive to study the relationship among birth and death, fertility, mortality, migration, and urbanization rates. The determinants of demographic transitions within the country setting are seen as economic, social, and mortality factors. Census data, on Zimbabwe, shows stability of population through a decline in the birth rate. In most rural areas the continuity decline in childhood death means that at some point parents realize they do not need so many children to be born to ensure a comfortable old age. As childhood death continues to fall and incomes increase, parents can become increasingly confident that fewer children will suffice to help in family business and care for them in old age. Increasing urbanization changes the traditional values placed upon fertility and the value of children in rural society. Urban living also raises the cost of dependent children to a family. A recent theory suggests that urbanization also contributes to reducing the birth rate because it disrupts normal mating ages. The cost of children to parents is worsen by the introduction of compulsory education acts and the increased need to educate children so they can take up a respected position in society. In some of the most undeveloped countries, children now need to be clothed and parents begin to consider buying their children toys and books. Wholly due to obligatory education and better quality of life, people begin to reassess their need for abundant children and the ability to raise them. As the world develop, woman right to work leads to the decline in birth rate since the mother need to work lesser children can help by relieving their duty. The resulting changes in the age structure of the population include a reduction in the youth dependency ratio. The population structure becomes less triangular and more like a prolonged balloon. During the period between the decline in youth dependency and rise in old age dependency there is an increasing opportunity that can potentially produce economic growth through an increase in the ratio of working age to dependent population. 

http://www.d-transition.info/countries-glance-3/zimbabwe-95/

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographic_transition
http://geographyfieldwork.com/DemographicTransition.htm
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange2/current/lectures/pop_socio/pop_socio.html