1. Population means the number of people living in an area
Population means the number of people living in an area. This can be the world, a country, a town or even a small area.

2. Population Structure
The population structure of a country means the ‘make up’ or composition of a population (e.g. made up of people of different ages, and of males and females).
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. The largest percentage of this population is in what age group (be specific). How do you know this?

4. Can you explain this graph?
Think about these questions?
What does this graph show?
Which is the largest age group.
Which is the smallest age group
What percentage of males are aged between 35-39

5. Population Structure - Developing Countries
In the example below 4% of the population are females aged between 25 and 29.

6. This population pyramid is wide at the base, which means there are a large proportion of young people in the country. It tapers very quickly as you go up into the older age groups, and is narrow at the top. This shows that a very small proportion of people are elderly.
This shape of pyramid is typical of a developing country, such as Kenya or Afghanistan.

7. Population Structure - Developed Countries
This shape is typical of a developed country. It is narrow at the base, wider in the middle, and stays quite wide until the very top, as there is a sizable percentage of older people. Note that there are more old women than men. Canada and Japan have population structures that are of this shape.

8. This pyramid is typical of a country such as Afghanistan or Kenya.
Narrower at the base which means that birth rates are lower.
Developing Country
Wide at the base which means there are a large proportion of young people in the country.
Wide at the top because there is longer life expectancy.
4% of the population is female aged
Narrow at the top which shows that there is a small proportion of elderly people.
Wider in the middle which means that people are living longer, less infant mortality.
Developed Country
This pyramid is typical of a country such as Canada and Japan.

9. Task 1 – Identify key features
Narrow at the top which shows that there is a small proportion of elderly people.
Wider in the middle which means that people are living longer, less infant mortality.
Wide at the top because there is longer life expectancy.
4% of the population is female aged
Developing Country
Developed Country
Wide at the base which means there are a large proportion of young people in the country.
This pyramid is typical of a country such as Kenya or Afghanistan.
This pyramid is typical of a country such as Canada and Japan.
Narrower at the base which means that birth rates are lower.

10. Progress? 5-6 statements correct 3-4 statements correct
Learning Objective
1. To be able to identify the key features of a population pyramid.

11. True or False A pyramid with a wide base indicates a low birth rate
A pyramid with a tall, wide top is an indicator of low life expectancy
Developed countries have a high birth rate
A large number of people in the 40 to 65 age range indicates a low death rate
Japan is a developed country
Kenya is a developed country

12. Developing Country or Developed Country?
Pyramid #1
Developing Country or Developed Country?
Concave sides show population dying off quickly
Low height shows people don’t live long
Wide base shows there are lots of children
Thin middle means less workers and less wealth

13. Developing Country or Developed Country?
Pyramid #2
Developing Country or Developed Country?
Convex sides show population in good health
High pyramid shows people live a long time
Thin base shows there are not a lot of children
Wide middle means more workers and more wealth

14. Analysis Population Pyramids
Developing Country
Developed Country
Wide base = high birth rate
Narrow base = low birth rate
Concave side = high death rate
Convex sides = low death rate
Narrow & short pyramid = short life expectancy
Thick and tall pyramid = long life expentancy

15. QUALITY OF LIFE MAP

16. How do we know how many people there are?

17. Believe it or not there are people who study population as a job.
These people are called DEMOGRAPHERS.
They help predict what will happen to the population in the future.

18. THE CENSUS
A census is a questionnaire issued by the government every 5 years.
The last census will took place in 2011.
The questionnaire asks about age, sex, ethnic group, religion and occupation.
Everyone must be included in the census by law.

19. Why do governments need population information to plan for the future?