2. POPULATION STRUCTURE:
is the number of males and females in
different age groups.
The common method to show the structure
is by a population pyramid.
This diagram is made up by putting two bar
graphs (one for male, one for female) side
by side.
From this you can read off what percentage
of a population is of a certain gender and
age range.
3. Key things to know about population pyramids:
Population is divided into 5 year age groups.
Horizontal line represents the percentage of male
& female group
The age groups are divided into 3 groups:
Young dependent (0-14 years old)
Working Population (15-64 years old)
Elderly Dependent (65+ years old)
Population is divided into males and females.
The percentage of each age /sex group is given.
4. What does the shape of the
population pyramids tell us?
Information of birth and death rates
Information of life expectancy
People living in a particular country or
place
10. Three general profiles of population pyramids:
Rapid growth: indicated by a pyramid with large
percentage of people in the younger ages
Slow growth: reflected by a pyramid with a
smaller proportion of the population of the
younger ages.
Zero population or decreasing populations:
shown by roughly equal numbers of people in all
age ranges, tapering off gradually at the older
ages
11.
12. The population pyramid for
Kenya:
Typical of a country in
the LEDCs experiencing
rapid population growth
Wide base -large
numbers of dependent
children aged 0-14 as a
result of high fertility
rates
Top of the pyramid
indicates smaller
proportion of the
population lives to old
age.
13. Implication of this type of population structure
(rapid growth):
Limited resources will be stretched to meet
the needs of the large number of dependent
children for schooling, nutrition and health
care.
As this group reaches working age, a large
number of jobs will be needed
As this group reaches child bearing age, it is
likely that fertility rates will be high leading to
high rates of natural population increase
14. The population pyramid for the USA:
Typical for MEDC
experiencing slow rates of
natural increase
Narrow base reflects low
birth rates
Wider top of the pyramid is
the result of people living
longer
The bulge in 30-40 age
cohort is a result of the baby
boom of the 1960s
15. The population pyramid for
Germany:
Is similar to that of USA
It represents a zero-
population growth
(BR – DR = 0)
People are distribute
evenly throughout the
cohorts
16. Implication of this type of population structure
Ageing population
A smaller proportion of the working
age and are faced with the task of
generating enough wealth to
provide high levels of support for
the elderly population
17. Consequences of ageing
population
Limited manpower for defense of a country
Give pressure to government to provide more
medical and health facility for ageing population
Shortage of labour, most of elderly retire and
not enough young people to replace them
Need more housing facilities and transport to
meet the need of ageing population
18. Advantages of ageing population
Tourism sector is boosted by the elderly
taking holidays during off-peak seasons
Industriesthat tap into the pensioner
market (e.g. wheel chairs)
Some large properties have been converted
to profitable residential homes