The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country The rate may be positive or negative The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e g , schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e g , food, water, electricity), and jobs Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries