In many of thedevelopinlg countries in Africa and Asia,the population is growing fast.Thereason for this is simplE.Women in these countries have a high birth rate一from

3.0 to 7.0 childrenper woman.The majority of these women are poor,without the food or resources tocare for their families.Why do they have so many children?Why don't

they limit the sizeof the family?The answer may be that they often have no choice.There areseveral reasons for this.

One reason iseconomic.In a traditional agricultural economy,large families arehelpful.Having more children means having more workers in the fields andsomeone to take

care of the parentsin old age.In an industrial economy,the situation is different. Many childrendo not help a family;instead,they are an expense.Thus,industrialization has

generally broughtdown the birth rate.This was the case in Italy,whichwas industrialized quite recently and rapidly.In the early part of thetwentieth century,Italywas a

poor,largelyagricultural country with a high birth rate.After World War Ⅱ,Italy's economy was rapidlymodernized and industrialized.By the end of the century,the birth rate

had dropped to 3children per woman,the world's lowest.

However,the economyis not the only important factor that influences birth rate.Saudi Arabia, forexample,does not have an agriculture-based economy,and it has one of the

highest per capitaincomes in the world.Nevertheless,it also has a very high birthrate(7.0).Mexico and Indonesia,on the other hand,are poor countries,with largely

agricultural economies,butthey have recently reduced their population growth.

Clearly,otherfactors are involved.The most important of these is the condition of women.Ahigh birth rate almost always goes together with lack of education and lowstatus

for women.This wouldexplain the high birth rate of Saudi Arabia.There,the traditional culture giveswomen little education or independence and few possibilities outside the

home.On the otherhand,the improved condition of womnen in Mexico,Thailand,and Indonesia explains the decline inbirth rates in these countries.Their governments have

taken measures toprovide more education and opportunities for women.

Another key factorin the birth rate is birth control.Women may want to limit their families buthave no way to do so. In countries where governments have made birth control

easily available andinexpensive ,birth rates have gone down.This is the case in Singapore,SriLanka,and India,as well as in Indonesia,Thailand,Mexico,and Brazil.In these

countries,women havealso been provided with health care and help in planning their families.

These trends showthat an effective programn to reduce population growth does not have to dependon better economic conditions. It can be effective if it aims to help women

and meet theiineeds.Only then,in fact,does it have any real chance of success.In Mexico,Thailand,andIndonesia,thegovernment________.

A.is not concernedabout the status of women

B.has tried toindustrialize the. country rapidly

C.does not allowwomen to work outside the home

D.has tried toimprove the condition of women