The rate of natural increase in human population refers to

Options

A. Birth rate
B. Mortality
C. Natality minus death rate
D. Birth rate plus death rate

Explanation

To determine the rate of natural increase in the human population, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Define Key Terms**:
- Understand the terms involved:
- **Birth Rate (Natality)**: The number of live births per 1,000 people in a population per year.
- **Death Rate (Mortality)**: The number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population per year.

2. **Understand the Concept of Natural Increase**:
- The natural increase of a population is the difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths in a given time period.

3. **Formula for Natural Increase**:
- The formula to calculate the rate of natural increase (R) is:
\[ R = \text{Birth Rate} - \text{Death Rate} \]
- This formula indicates that the natural increase is derived from the net difference between births and deaths.

4. **Clarify Misconceptions**:
- It is important to note that the natural increase is not calculated by adding the birth rate and death rate. Therefore, the statement "birth rate plus death rate" is incorrect in this context.

5. **Conclusion**:
- The rate of natural increase in the human population refers to the difference between the birth rate and the death rate, which can be summarized as:
\[ R = \text{Natality} - \text{Mortality} \]

### Final Answer:
The rate of natural increase in the human population refers to the difference between the birth rate and the death rate.

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