Demography and development

The changing perceptions among demographers concerning their roles as social and policy scientists are discussed in order to show their involvement in development efforts in developing countries. Although demographers regard development as a concept that has not as yet been adequately defined, the current view is that the variables, development and population, are inseparable, and that the explanation of trends for one of these cannot be sought in isolation from the other. The article concludes that demographers in South Africa regard development as the predictor variable in demographic trends. They are also of the opinion that the course of demographic trends will in future have an important influence on development trends.