In which situation can total population decline rapidly?

Correct answer: Deaths and out-migration are high while births and in-migration are low

Direct answer: Option A. To understand population decline, compare additions with reductions. Births and in-migration add residents, whereas deaths and out-migration remove residents from the local population. In option A, the two reducing processes are high and the two adding processes are low. This combination creates a large negative balance, so the total population can decline rapidly. Option B is wrong because high births and high in-migration add people. Option C is wrong because low deaths remove fewer people and high births add many people, favouring growth. Option D is wrong because high in-migration adds people and low out-migration means fewer people leave. A place may still have other factors, but among these choices only A clearly describes rapid decline. Memory cue: “rapid decline means many out, few in.”