The rate of natural increase of a population is also known as its

The correct answer is Option (3) → growth rate

Option (1) fertility rate — Incorrect. The fertility rate counts live births per 1000 women of child-bearing age. It measures births alone, so it cannot stand for the gap between births and deaths.

Option (2) replacement level — Incorrect. The replacement level is the growth rate needed for new generations to replace the older ones dying out. A population reaches it when natural increase is zero or very small, so it is one value of that rate and not another name for it.

Option (3) growth rate — Correct. The rate of natural increase, also called the growth rate, is the difference between the birth rate and the death rate. It shows how fast a population grows on its own.

Option (4) dependency ratio — Incorrect. The dependency ratio compares people too young or too old to work with people of working age. It describes the age make-up of a population and does not measure births minus deaths.