080903 Population IV Population Pyramids

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080903 Population V

Topics: All, Daily News, Futures, John Sumser, JohnSumser.com, Population, by John Sumser

(September 03, 2008) Here’s an example of a population pyramid (Canada, 1961). The left side is a bar graph that describes the percentage of men in a given age bracket. The right side describes the distribution of women by age. The term “pyramid” refers to the shape of the diagram.

You can see that the pyramid narrows toward the top. This is because the death rate is higher among older 080825 Population I

080826 Population II

080827 Population III

080828 Population IV

080903 Population V

080904 Population VI (Types)

In 1961, the pyramid had a wide base. In fact, when we add the percentages for the three lowest age groups, we find that 35% of the population was under 15. These are the “baby boomers,” a large group of people born between 1947 and 1966 when the economy was growing and prospering.

For the vast majority of human history, population distributions looked just like this example….Lots of young people, increasingly fewer old people.

Over the past 50 years, things have been really changing. Life expectancy has grown while family size has shrunk. There are many more older people and fewer young. Here are some examples of the kinds of pyramids that are emerging.

Finally, here’s how you use the pyramid to analyze changes in a population.

Watch some of these animations. They display the changes in the pyramid in Canada’s provinces

About the author

John Sumser

John Sumser is a principal analyst for HRExaminer, an independent analyst firm covering HR Technology and the intersection of people, tech, and work. John’s mix of experience over the course of his career gives him a broad and unique perspective on the industry. Like anyone trying to process a lot of information, he is two or three steps ahead in some areas and still learning about others. Sumser’s work includes deep research into the nooks and crannies of HR Technology to identify and explain rapidly evolving trends. Built on a foundation of engineering, design, and philosophy, John’s seeks to understand and advise clients on where their technology works best, for whom, and in what context. Each year, John examines the insides of hundreds of companies, their products, and ecosystems. He delivers vendor analysis by building the framework from which to deliver the critique. He is constantly connecting and making visible the front end of change. He can help you see the path of evolution and the risks on the journey. The HRExaminer is Sumser’s vehicle for understanding and explaining the inner workings of the industry. With three weekly podcasts, and written commentary, he covers emerging ideas, the state of the industry, and the executives who operate it.

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