Which term describes no natural increase in the population?

• A. Negative population growth
• B. Zero population growth
• C. Population stabilization
• D. Replacement fertility

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is natural increase, which is births minus deaths within a population, ignoring people moving in or out. When births and deaths are the same, there’s no natural change in the population—this situation is described as zero population growth. In this case, the population size remains constant due to natural factors, though it could still change if people migrate. Negative population growth would occur if deaths and/or fewer births exceed births, leading to a decline. Replacement fertility refers to the level of fertility needed to keep the population stable over the long run (often about two children per woman), not to the current state of natural increase. Population stabilization is a broader term that can describe a stable population over time, which can result from zero natural increase plus no net migration or from a balance of births and deaths with migration; the phrase that specifically means no natural increase is zero population growth.