How do you describe and explain the Demographic Transition Model?

The Demographic Transition Model (DTM) shows how the population of a country changes over its development. The model shows the relationship between the birth rate, death rate and total population of a country within each of the five stages. When describing the model it is best to start at stage one and describe each stage one at a time. At Stage One of the DTM the country has high birth and death rates due to poor sanitation, poor healthcare, no contraception and an agricultural society. This means that total population is low. At Stage Two healthcare and sanitation begin to improve, therefore the death rate begins to decline. However, the birth rate stays high meaning that the population begins to increase. At Stage Three the birth rate begins to fall as contraception and education become more widespread, however the birth rate remains above the death rate and so the population continues to increase. At Stage Four the birth rate and death rate both drop low and remain at similar levels so the population level stabilizes. At Stage Five the birth rate begins to decline as a result of high costs associated with having children, delayed marriage and more women in the workforce. As birth rate drops below death rate the total population begins to decline naturally.