The line graph compares changes in population size, birth rate and death rate in England and Wales between 1700 and 2000.
Overall, the population rose dramatically over the period, especially after the mid-nineteenth century, while both birth and death rates showed long-term declines despite some fluctuations. Birth rates were consistently higher than death rates, which explains the sustained population growth.
In 1700, the population stood at only about 3 million. It increased gradually to around 10 million by 1800, before growing much more rapidly thereafter. By 1850, the figure had doubled to approximately 20 million, and this upward trend continued steadily, reaching about 35 million in 1900. The population peaked at roughly 50 million by 2000, representing more than a fifteen-fold increase compared with the start of the period.
Turning to vital rates, the birth rate began at around 30 per 1,000 people in 1700 and rose to a peak of roughly 40 per 1,000 in the late eighteenth century. After 1800, it declined gradually, falling to about 25 per 1,000 by 1900. Following a slight recovery mid-century, it ended at around 33 per 1,000 in 2000. By contrast, the death rate increased from about 27 per 1,000 in 1700 to nearly 37 per 1,000 in 1750, then fell sharply. After fluctuating during the nineteenth century, it declined steadily to approximately 20 per 1,000 by the end of the period.
In summary, rapid population growth was driven by a widening gap between birth and death rates, particularly from the nineteenth century onwards.