Popular Pyramids: Age Structure Diagram

Activity
Background: Population growth is affected by age structure - the number of
individuals in different age groups - as well as by the numbers of births and deaths.
Age structure is usually illustrated by an age pyramid, a graph in which horizontal
bars represent the percentage of the population in each age group. Males are shown on the left and
females on the right. The ages (or in some cases, the years of birth) for each bar are listed along the
vertical axis of the graph, usually in five-year intervals. Each age group is called a cohort. The longer
a bar is, the greater the proportion of individuals in that age group.

Age pyramids are useful for tracing the history of a population and for projecting future population
trends. An age pyramid with more long bars for the younger age groups would indicate a growing
population; when these large numbers of young begin to reproduce; they will add even more offspring
to the population than did the older age groups.

Directions: Using the table below, construct an age structure diagram for both the United States and
Rwanda. Graph the countries separately. Make sure you use different color pencils for each gender
(male or female) and to label the axes. Then answer the questions listed below the data table.

Data Table:
United States Rwanda
% age Male Female % age Male Female
0-4 3.2 2.9 0-4 7.4 7.6
5-9 6.5 3.1 5-9 7.2 7.4
10-14 3.2 2.9 10-14 7.0 7.0
15-19 3.2 3.2 15-19 6.0 6.0
20-24 3.0 2.5 20-24 4.2 5.4
25-29 2.9 2.9 25-29 3.2 2.7
30-34 3.1 3.2 30-34 2.8 2.8
35-39 3.7 3.7 35-39 2.2 2.2
40-44 3.7 3.7 40-44 1.8 2.0
45-49 3.2 3.2 45-49 1.3 1.5
50-54 2.8 2.8 50-54 1.8 2.0
55-59 1.9 2.2 55-59 0.6 0.7
60-64 1.7 2.1 60-64 0.5 0.5
65-69 1.5 2.0 65-69 0.5 0.4
70-74 1.3 1.9 70-74 0.4 0.3
75-79 1.2 1.7 75-79 0.3 0.2
80+ 0.7 0.8 80+ 0.2 0.1
Analysis Questions: Please use complete sentences.

1) What are some overall similarities between the two (2) graphs?

2) What are some differences?

3) What do you believe the increased population size in the United States between ages 35-40 is due
to?

4) The female population in Rwanda makes a shark drop between ages 20-24 and 25-29. What do
you think accounts for the drop in this percentage?

5) What does the age structure diagram tell you about these countries?

6) Which country has the highest percentage of older population? Why?

7) Is the U.S. population increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same? How do you know? (think
about the proportion of older vs younger people)

8) Is the Rwanda. population increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same? How do you know (think
about the proportion of older vs younger people)?

9) Based upon the evidence in the age structure diagram, do you think the human population will
reach a carrying capacity? Explain.