Which country, according to figure 1.3, shows a declining population?

Here are the answers to your questions based on the provided population structure figure:

1.3.1 The country showing a declining population is Italy, as indicated by its "Zero growth/Decrease" label and its pyramid shape with a narrower base than the middle.

$$\boxed{\text{Italy}}$$

1.3.2 The country showing a high death rate is Kenya. Its pyramid rapidly narrows from a wide base, indicating that a large proportion of the population does not survive to older age groups.

$$\boxed{\text{Kenya}}$$

1.3.3 According to the US and Italy's population pyramids, women live longer than men, as evidenced by the longer bars for women in the older age categories (e.g., 80+).

$$\boxed{\text{Women}}$$

1.3.4 A population pyramid is a graphical representation that illustrates the distribution of various age groups within a population, typically for a country or region, and shows the proportion of males and females in each age group.

1.3.5 For a slow-growth country like the U.S.:

• a) Birth rate: The birth rate is moderate, meaning there are enough births to replace the population but not cause rapid expansion. This is reflected in the pyramid's base, which is not excessively wide.
• b) Death rate: The death rate is relatively low, allowing a larger proportion of the population to survive into older age groups.
• c) Life expectancy: Life expectancy is high due to lower death rates and improved healthcare, resulting in a significant portion of the population living to older ages.

1.3.6 The dependency ratio is the ratio of the number of dependents (people typically under 15 or over 64) to the total working-age population (typically 15-64). The country with the smallest dependency ratio is the United States, as its pyramid shows a relatively balanced distribution with a significant working-age population compared to its young and elderly dependents.

$$\boxed{\text{United States}}$$