Population pyramids
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INTRODUCTION
• A country’s population consists of different genders and
ages.
• When studying a country’s population, it is important to
know it’s population structure.
• The population structure tells us how many 0-4 years
olds, over 85, males, females etc.
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POPULATION PYRAMIDS
• A population pyramid is a special kind of bar graph
which shows the age and gender structure of a
country’s population.
• One side of the pyramid shows the ages of the
male population and the other side shows the
females.
• The vertical axis shows age and the horizontal axis
shows the number or percentage of people in that
age group.
Why do we make use/ need population pyramids?
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To answer questions like:
• Is there a need to build more schools?
• Is there a need for more care facilities for old
people?
• Should people be encouraged to have more
people?
• Is the market for goods expanding or shrinking?
• Are there more older women than older men?
• Are there more young people?
What does the shape of the population
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pyramid indicate?
• The shape of the pyramid indicates the level of economic
development of a country.
• A developing country’s population pyramid usually has a classic
triangular or pyramid shape.
• A developed country’s population pyramid will have a narrow,
oblong (rectangular) shape.
Az pyramid with a broad base illustrates a country with a
youthful population & a high birth rate. It has the greatest
potential for population growth.
Population pyramid with a narrow base and a bulge in the
middle illustrates a country with good birth control, fewer
younger people and more older people.
The shape of a population pyramid changes over time.
The shape also indicates the structure of the workforce.
The age groups 15-64 are usually an economically active
population. People under 15 and over 64 usually do not work
and are dependent on the economically active population for
survival.
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Death rate and life expectancy
To find out the death rate and life expectancy
look at how wide the top is compared with the
base.
If the top is much narrower than the base,
giving the pyramid a triangular shape, then the
death rate is high.
If the pyramid is more straight sided, then the
death rate is lower and the life expectance is
longer.
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Economically active population
• To find out about the proportions of the
economically active population, look at the people in
each age group (15-64).
• Economically dependent people fall under ages
below 15 and over 64.
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To find out if there are more men or women in each
category look at the length of the bars for each sex in
each age group. Which ever one has the longer length
then it means that they have a longer life expectancy.
To find out if the population is growing or decreasing,
compare the birth rate and the death rate.
Rapid growth & expanding population
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Symmetrical, triangular or pyramid shape.
High birth rate and high death rate.
High infant mortality rate, low life expentancy,
high natural growth.
Many young people & few older people.
Slow growth
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& gradually expanding population
Bell-shaped pyramid.
Decrease in birth rate and death rate.
Low infant mortality rate, long life expectancy, low
natural growth.
More middle-aged people.
Declining & declining population
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Pyramid is characterized by a bulge in the middle and tapering towards
younger and older age groups.
Beehive shaped pyramid.
Both birth rate and death rate are low. DR can exceed BR.
Low infant mortality rate, long life expectancy especially for the female
population, negative natural increase.
Few young people, more middle-aged people and very few older people.