GEOGRAPHY
BY SUMMER CHAN
// 2015 //
Creating and analysing a population pyramids
Firstly, what is a population pyramid? It is a set of data being put together to show the pattern of the population of the age of both female and male in a certain place. The data of the female and male is placed back to back with the youngest of the population at the bottom of the diagram and the oldest at the top. This creates a pyramid shape which is where it got its name. this is an example of a population pyramid:
Creating
To create a population pyramid, a data of the age and sex of a certain place is needed. Label the x axis as the gender male and female and also the scale of population for each gender while y axis as the scale of age from 0 years old to 100 years old and the population pyramid as ”population pyramid of (the name of the area.)” Then place the youngest generation of male and female individually at the bottom of the population pyramid which is labelled male on the right and female on the left. (The age of the gender can be grouped of 5 years, for example; the youngest group can be 0-4years old, then 5-9 years old then 10 to 14 years old and so on) This is by drawing a bar graph that stretches out from the middle, where male and female are separated, to outwards horizontally. Be sure that the data matches the scale on the graph. Then, continue adding on data above the previous one until the age reaches 100 years old. After this, make sure to check again to see if the data and the data on the population pyramid created matches and then it’s done.
Analysing
To analyse a population pyramid, comparing the data within the graph itself is very helpful. Firstly, judging which stage the population pyramid is in is the most important. There are four different stages of a population pyramid. The type of stages also depends on the state of the area, so state this in the conclusion. Then compare the male and female, are there any differences? What do you think affects the difference? Also, compare the age and its population within the graph and explain the differences again. Remember to state the challenges and opportunities in each section. After that, if there is another population pyramid you can compare with, compare the stages, the population of male and female and the population of different age. Then write an overall conclusion of the area; Is it an urban or rural area? How does the state of an area (rural/urban) affect the population pyramid?
- State the stage of the population pyramid and why it might be this way. An example of analysing is;
If this particular area don’t have good medication, the population graph of this area would be a lot smaller in data when compared to average as the people living in there has short life expectancy causing it to have a stage1/stage2 -expanding.
- When analysing, explaining the situation currently and how it would affect the area in the future is very helpful and makes it more detailed. If there are other reasons that might affect the population pyramid to be the way it is, write it down as well. Another example could be the stage 4- contacting population pyramid;
REASON 1 -- When the economics of this particular place is good, there will be a lot of job opportunities. This would cause independent (aged 25-65) migrants to migrate there for work, therefore seeing an increase of population of the independents compared to the dependants (age 0-25 and 65 and above). This therefore creates a contacting base. When this happens, in the future, the younger dependent generation will have trouble supporting a larger group of the current independent generation. Not only that, but there might not be enough services for the old people as there are way too many.
REASON 2-- The reason for the increase amount of independent population might also be caused from the baby boom. This is because the baby’s boom children might be that group of independent population. Since there were so much more births during the baby boom compared to regularly, there are also more births for a certain period of time as that is the baby booms baby. These babies might be the current ones who are working independently.