Two countries have the same natural increase rate, but one has heavy immigration and the other heavy emigration. Which will have the higher total growth rate?

Correct answer: The country with heavy immigration

Correct answer: A, the country with heavy immigration. Total population growth is determined by natural increase plus net migration. Since both countries have the same natural increase, that part contributes equally. Heavy immigration creates positive net migration and adds people to the country, whereas heavy emigration creates negative net migration and removes people. Therefore, all other conditions being equal, the immigration country has the higher total growth rate. B is wrong because emigration lowers total growth. C is wrong because equal natural increase does not mean equal total growth when migration differs. D is wrong because total growth depends on births, deaths, and migration—not on birth rate alone. For example, if both countries have natural growth of 1 percent, immigration of 0.5 percent gives total growth of 1.5 percent, while emigration of 0.5 percent gives 0.5 percent. Memory cue: immigration adds; emigration subtracts.