Demographic and Structural Factors in Development

4. Structural and Demographic Factors 4.1 Rural–urban differences and

population dynamics Todaro emphasises the importance of demographic and structural features

such as population growth, age structure, and rural–urban migration.

These shaping forces influence how countries plan for education, employment, healthcare,

and food security. Developing countries often exhibit high dependency ratios, which slow development

by limiting savings and increasing pressure on working-age populations. 4.2 Levels of industrialisation and structural change

Another important dimension is how economies shift from agriculture to industry and

services. Economic development is fundamentally linked with structural transformation —