Population pyramid

Population pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population, which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing. It is also used to describe the age and sex structure of the population.

Overview

A population pyramid, also known as an "age-sex pyramid", is a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population (typically that of a country or region of the world), which forms the shape of a pyramid when the population is growing. It is also used to describe the age and sex structure of the population.

Structure

The population pyramid typically consists of two back-to-back bar graphs, with the population plotted on the X-axis and age on the Y-axis, one showing the number of males and one showing females in a particular population in five-year age groups (also called cohorts). Males are conventionally shown on the left and females on the right, and they may be measured by raw number or as a percentage of the total population.

Types of Population Pyramids

There are three types of population pyramids that demonstrate the three types of population growth. These are expansive, constrictive, and stationary population pyramids.

Expansive

An expansive population pyramid represents a population that has a larger percentage of people in younger age groups. This type of population pyramid indicates high birth and death rates.

Constrictive

A constrictive population pyramid, also known as a narrow base pyramid, is typically characteristic of countries with higher levels of education, longer life expectancies, and lower death rates. In this type of population pyramid, the largest population group is middle-aged adults, not children.

Stationary

A stationary population pyramid describes populations that are not significantly growing or shrinking. This type of pyramid is characterized by a rectangular shape, indicating a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group.

Uses

Population pyramids are often used in social studies and in a business context to understand the demographics of a certain population. They can also help to identify social or economic problems within a population.

See also

• Demography
• Cohort (statistics)
• Ageing of Europe

Population pyramid Resources
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