A country with a population of 20 million people experiences 500,000 births and 300,000 deaths in the same year, 1990. Its natural growth rate is

The natural increase is the difference between the number of births and deaths.

$$\text{Natural Increase} = \text{Births} - \text{Deaths}$$ $$\text{Natural Increase} = 500,000 - 300,000$$ $$\text{Natural Increase} = 200,000$$

The natural growth rate is the natural increase divided by the total population, usually expressed as a percentage.

$$\text{Natural Growth Rate} = \frac{\text{Natural Increase}}{\text{Total Population}} \times 100\%$$ $$\text{Natural Growth Rate} = \frac{200,000}{20,000,000} \times 100\%$$ $$\text{Natural Growth Rate} = \frac{2}{200} \times 100\%$$ $$\text{Natural Growth Rate} = 0.01 \times 100\%$$ $$\text{Natural Growth Rate} = \boxed{\text{1\%}}$$