Understanding Population Pyramids

What does it mean that Mexico’s population pyramid is very wide at the

bottom?

What does it mean that Sweden’s population pyramid is wider at the top

than Mexico’s?

What predictions can you make from these population pyramids?

Population Pyramids

http://ecp3113-01.fa01.fsu.edu/lively_introduction/fig7.gif

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

0-4 yrs.

5-9 yrs.

10-14 yrs.

15-19 yrs.

20-24 yrs

25-29 yrs

30-34 yrs.

35-39 yrs.

40-44 yrs.

45-49 yrs.

50-54 yrs.

55-59 yrs.

60-64 yrs.

65-69 yrs.

70-74 yrs.

75-79 yrs.

80+ yrs.

AGE

PERCENT

Males(%)Females(%)

Italy, 2000

1

2

34

5

Analysis of Italy’s Population Pyramid

•1. Decline in Birth Rate

•2. Baby Boom

•3. Fewer men due to World War I and II

•4. More women due to: a. longer life expectancy and b. World Wars (I and II)

•5. More 75-79 yrs than 0-4 yrs. Signs of a future worker shortage and an overall declining population.

Aging population…

…declining birth rate

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

0-4 yrs.

5-9 yrs.

10-14 yrs.

15-19 yrs.

20-24 yrs

25-29 yrs

30-34 yrs.

35-39 yrs.

40-44 yrs.

45-49 yrs.

50-54 yrs.

55-59 yrs.

60-64 yrs.

65-69 yrs.

70-74 yrs.

75-79 yrs.

80+ yrs.

AGE

PERCENT

Males(%)Females(%)

Italy, 2000

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

0-4 yrs.

5-9 yrs.

10-14 yrs.

15-19 yrs.

20-24 yrs

25-29 yrs

30-34 yrs.

35-39 yrs.

40-44 yrs.

45-49 yrs.

50-54 yrs.

55-59 yrs.

60-64 yrs.

65-69 yrs.

70-74 yrs.

75-79 yrs.

80+ yrs.

AGE

PERCENT

Males(%)Females(%)

Italy, 2025

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

0-4 yrs.

5-9 yrs.

10-14 yrs.

15-19 yrs.

20-24 yrs

25-29 yrs

30-34 yrs.

35-39 yrs.

40-44 yrs.

45-49 yrs.

50-54 yrs.

55-59 yrs.

60-64 yrs.

65-69 yrs.

70-74 yrs.

75-79 yrs.

80+ yrs.

AGE

PERCENT

Males(%)Females(%)

Italy, 2050

0-4 yrs.

5-9 yrs.

10-14 yrs.

15-19 yrs.

20-24 yrs

25-29 yrs

30-34 yrs.

35-39 yrs.

40-44 yrs.

45-49 yrs.

50-54 yrs.

55-59 yrs.

60-64 yrs.

65-69 yrs.

70-74 yrs.

75-79 yrs.

80-84 yrs.

85+ yrs.

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

Percentage

Age Livingston: Population Pyramid, 2009

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base (online). How is this population pyramid different from

Italy’s?

Population Pyramids

at Different Scales• Country• State• County (Borough)

http://www.aleutianseast.org

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/deadliestcatch/deadliestcatch.html

ACTIVITYfor

Selected Population Pyramids in the

United States

Choices…

A. Ann Arbor, MI

B. Buffalo county, SD

C. Fort Bragg, NC

D. Leavenworth, KS

E. Manhattan, NYC

F. Nothhamton, MA

G. Punta Gorda, FL

H. Springfield, IL

Helpful Hints…

A. Ann Arbor, MI - University of Michigan

B. Buffalo county, SD - Crow Creek Indian Reservation, one of the poorest counties in the United States

C. Fort Bragg, NC - United States Army Fort

D. Leavenworth, KS - United States Penitentiary

E. Manhattan, NYC - wealthy downtown, few large families

F. Nothhamton, MA - Smith College, an all girls college

G. Punta Gorda, FL - retirement community

H. Springfield, IL - average American city

Answers

•1. B

•2. A

•3. E

•4. C

•5. G

•6. H

•7. F

•8. D

B A

E C G

H F D

Population Pyramids for

Selected Countries

Guest Workers, mainly from South Asia

http://fusions.wordpress.com/2007/08/06/migrant-workers-in-dubai

Guest Workers from India in the Persian Gulf Countries

Post War Baby Boom and Declining Birth Rate

http://www.economist.com/world/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9539825

http://kotaku.com/gaming/only-in-japan/strange-japanese-game-center-name-226261.php

Declining Birth Rate, Emigration, War

Stable Population Growth

http://www.airninja.com/worldfacts/countries/Argentina/fertilityrate.htm

Slow Decline

Extremely High Birth and Death Rates

http://www.biyokulule.com/February_%201990s(4).htm

http://www.islamic-relief.com/submenu/appeal/somalia_crisis.htm

Persistent Poverty and Violence

Constructing and Analyzing Population

Pyramids• Finding Age Sex Statistics on the

U.S. Census Web Site• Population Pyramid Construction

directions using Microsoft Excel

What will the pyramid look like in 2025? 2050?

Age Dependency

Ratio

Analysis and Evaluation for the Metropolitan Area

•With the population pyramids displayed on the wall discuss the differences between the population pyramids in different areas of the county.

•Why are there differences?

•Where in the county is it wealthy? Poor?

•Where in the county is the population the youngest? Oldest?

•How do the suburbs differ from the inner city?