1. What is Natural Increase?

Natural Increase is the difference between the number of births and deaths in a population. It represents the population growth from natural causes, excluding migration effects.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Natural Increase formula:

Where:

• \( P_n \) — Forecasted Population (future population)
• \( P_o \) — Last Known Population (current/previous population)
• \( N \) — Number of Years in the design period
• \( M.R. \) — Average Migration Rate per Year

Explanation: This formula calculates the natural population increase by accounting for total population change over time and subtracting the migration component.

3. Importance of Natural Increase Calculation

Details: Calculating natural increase is crucial for urban planning, resource allocation, and understanding demographic trends. It helps separate natural population growth from migration effects for better policy making.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter all values as positive numbers. Forecasted and last known populations should be whole numbers. Migration rate can be positive (immigration) or negative (emigration).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a negative natural increase indicate?
A: A negative natural increase indicates that deaths exceed births in the population, which could signal demographic challenges.

Q2: How is migration rate determined?
A: Migration rate is typically calculated from census data or population registers showing movement into and out of an area.

Q3: What time period should be used for the calculation?
A: The time period should match available data, typically 5-10 years for accurate demographic analysis.

Q4: Can this formula be used for small populations?
A: Yes, but results may be more volatile with smaller populations due to random variations in births and deaths.

Q5: How does this relate to total population growth?
A: Total population growth equals natural increase plus net migration. This formula isolates the natural increase component.