Demography

Demography is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings. As a very general science, it can analyze any kind of dynamic living population, i.e., one that changes over time or space (see population dynamics). Demography encompasses the study of the size, structure, and distribution of these populations, and spatial or temporal changes in them in response to birth, migration, aging, and death.

Overview

Demographic analysis can cover whole societies or groups defined by criteria such as education, nationality, religion, and ethnicity. Educational institutions usually treat demography as a field of sociology, though there are a number of independent demography departments.

Formal demography limits its object of study to the measurement of population processes, while the broader field of social demography or population studies also analyzes the relationships between economic, social, cultural, and biological processes influencing a population.

History

The term "demography" is of French origin and was first coined by Achille Guillard in 1855. However, the study of human populations and how they change dates back to antiquity. Early demographers were more concerned with counting population size than with examining the structures of populations.

Methods

Demographic research methods have largely been developed in the 20th century. These methods include the collection of data from vital statistics registries and through censuses, surveys, interviews, and other studies. Demographers also use mathematical models to simulate future demographic trends.

See also

• Population dynamics
• Achille Guillard
• Sociology
• Population studies

References

Demography Resources
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