Unit 3:

Population Structure,
Characteristics and Components:

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 Population pyramid
• Graphical representation of age and sex composition
population . It gives a detailed picture of the age-sex
structure of a population
• A double bar chart showing the age sex structure of
population.
• The pyramid consists of two sets of horizontal bar
graphs, one for each sex.
• Population pyramid consists of a number of bars
representing successive age groups in ascending order ,
form the lowest age at bottom to the highest age at top
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•Bars at the left of central vertical axis
indicates the age structure of the male
population and at the right the female
population
•Number or percentage of males and females
in each age group is represented by the length
of its bar from central axis.
•Bars are generally by single or 5-year age
groups.
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• The base of the pyramid is mainly determined by the
level of fertility in the population, while the peak is
determined by previous level of mortality and
fertility
• The levels of migration by age and sex also affect the
shape of the pyramid
• Rapidly increasing death rates after age 45 result in a
narrowing peak in all population pyramids.
• Population pyramid tells us past , present and future
structure and development of population of a
country

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 Types of population pyramid
• Demographers recognize three types of pyramids
1. Expansive,
2. Constrictive, and
3. Stationary.
• Expansive :
– An expansive pyramid represents greater numbers of
people in the younger age categories, and is typical of
many developing countries where birth rates are high
and short life expectancy .
– Triangular-shaped

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• Constrictive :
– Declining fertility with a relatively smaller proportion of the
population in the younger ages, large proportion of
working ages
– Beehive-shaped
• Stationary:
– If a population has unchanging fertility and mortality it is a
stationary population,
– A stationary pyramid shows roughly equal numbers of
people in all age categories, with a tapering towards the
older age categories. Countries such as Sweden show
stationary age categories because of relatively low,
constant birth rates, and a high quality of life.
– Rectangular-shaped
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Patterns of population change

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Population pyramid (3)
-Detecting errors

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 Analysis and comparison of
population pyramid
• When two or more censuses available, the graphical
techniques may be used to examine the consistency
of age structure in consecutive censuses
• It provides comparison of actual cohorts over
multiple censuses
• The size of each cohort should decline in censuses
due to mortality under the assumption of no
significant international migration
• The age structure (the bars) for censuses should
follow the same pattern in the absence of census
errors
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• An important advantage is that it is possible to
evaluate the effects of extraordinary events and
other distorting factors by following actual cohorts
overtime
• If number of birth increases from year to year , the
population type will became progressive and the
pyramid will widen the base, decline in the number
of birth causes regressive population with narrow
base.
• High fertility rate will enlarge the base of pyramid
and low fertility rate reduce the base of pyramid.

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• Developing countries have a broad base but a
narrow tip. It reflects
– A large percentage of children and small proportion of
elders in a population
– Low longevity of population
– High population growth rate
– High child dependency
• Developed countries have a narrow base and tapers
off much more gradually
– Small proportion of population in the younger ages
– Roughly equal numbers of people in all age groups.
– High longevity of population.

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Population pyramid from developed and developing countries

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