GCSE Revision - Population - Pyramids

Population Structure is shown as a population pyramid which is like two bar graphs back to back, one for males and one for females. The structures can give information about the following.

  • Life Expectancy is how long on average people can expect to live

  • Infant Mortality - is the number of babies who die under the age of 5 years per 1000 people

  • Economically Active are people in work between the ages 16-65

  • Young Dependents are children under 15 yrs old who are dependent ont he economically active people for their needs.

  • Elderly Dependents are people usually over 60 who are dependent on the younger economically active people

An MEDC - e.g. Britain, Germany

An LEDC - e.g. Ethiopia, Bangladesh

Main Features

Main Features

  • Narrow base with many women having less than two children

  • Women are marrying later

  • Contraception is universal in countries such as Britain

  • Excellent medical care and high standards of living mean the infant death rate is low - most children live to middle and old age

  • Death rates are low and are only high in extreme old age which gives the pyramid its straight sides

  • On average women can expect to live to 83 years and men to 76 years

  • High number of elderly dependents with more females than men

  • The wide base indicates a high proportion of children

  • Large families reflect the low status of women, early marriages, lack of education and little family planning available

  • The steep sides show that the death rate is high for both the young and adults

  • Life expectancy is also low with few people reaching old age

  • High death rates reflect the lack of medication, clean water and regular food supplies

  • Populations are growing rapidly and in the case of Nigeria are expected to double in 25 years

Population Pyramids can also

  • be used to help predict changes in the population and plan for the future. They can  be used to predict the proportion of elderly people in the population who will need health care, or the number of young people who will be economically active in the future.

  • to suggest which stage of the Demographic Transition Model a country is in. The pyramid on the right is typical of a stage 2 country such as Ethiopia or Nigeria whereas the one on the left is typical of a country in stage 4 or even entering stage 5 as in the case of Britain

  • show strange developments in the population structure caused by wars, population booms and migration movements. These are mainly confined to cities such as when young males move to find work, or when as in Britain there was a baby boom after the second world war. Finally some towns like Brighton and Bournemouth attract many elderly people and have a very different population pyramid shape to that of Telford which has attracted many young people with families. 

LINKS - Revision Video - Population
                                       Population Boom - both have good sections explaining
                                       pyramids and how they change

Common Questions

  • Give another name for a Population Pyramid

  • Describe and give reasons for the population pyramid shown

  • Describe and explain the differences between the two population pyramids shown

  • Study the population pyramid shown and say which stage it is in - in the Demographic Transition Model - give reasons for your answer