Population Pyramids

What is a population pyramid?

A population pyramid is a pyramid-shaped diagram illustrating the age distribution of a population; the youngest ages
are at the bottom ascending in age till the oldest age at the top of the pyramid.

How do you read a population pyramid?

2 2
1

4
3

1. The title of the Population Pyramid. Usually, this is the name of the location along with
the year.
2. The left side of the pyramid shows the population distribution of the males while the
right side shows the population distribution of the females of the location.
3. Horizontal axis shows the populations (in this case) millions.
4. Vertical axis lists the age group; typically by five year increments.
 Types of Population Pyramids
A population pyramid shows the age and gender of a society. Population pyramids allow geographers analyze a place
and identify its rate of growth. There are three types of growth; rapid, slow/stable and negative/declining. Below are
examples of each stage.

Rapid Growth Population Pyramid

Looks like a typical pyramid with a large

Slow or Stable Growth Population Pyramid

There is little change in the lower sections of the

Negative or Declining Growth Population Pyramid

The top third and bottom third are both smaller than the
middle section of the pyramid. This type of population
pyramid is mostly found in developed countries. These
countries have good health care, long life expectancies
and stable governments. However, their birth rates are
lower than needed to replace the population.
POPULATION PYRAMIDS WORKSHEET
AGE POP IN MILLIONS
GROUP Male Female
65+ 2.2 2.4
Use the data to create your population pyramid in the 60-64 2.2 2.3
chart provided below. 55-59 2.7 2.8
50-54 3.1 3.0
Use one color for Males one color for females. 45-49 3.6 3.4
40-44 3.4 3.3
Label the Male and Female sides
35-39 2.6 2.5
30-34 2.4 2.3
25-29 2.4 2.4
Be neat and accurate. 20-24 2.5 2.4
15-19 2.1 2.0
10-14 2.0 1.9
5-9 1.8 1.7
0-4 1.7 1.6

Country: Germany, 2010

65+

60-64

55-59

50-54

45-49

40-44

35-39

30-34

25-29

20-24

15-19

10-14

5-9

0-4

4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 .5 .5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Population in Millions
POPULATION PYRAMIDS WORKSHEET
AGE POP IN MILLIONS
GROUP Male Female
65+ 2.1 2.6
Use the data to create your population pyramid in the
60-64 3.0 3.5
chart provided below. 55-59 4.0 4.3
50-54 5.0 5.3
Use one color for Males one color for females.
45-49 6.0 6.2
Label the Male and Female sides 40-44 6.6 6.7
35-39 7.1 7.2
30-34 8.0 8.0
25-29 8.8 8.7
Be neat and accurate. 20-24 8.7 8.5
15-19 8.5 8.2
10-14 8.7 8.4
5-9 8.7 8.3
0-4 8.0 7.7
Country: Brazil, 2010

65+

60-
64
55-
59
50-
54
45-
49
40-
44
35-
39
30-
34
25-
29
20-
24
15-
19
10-
14
5-9

0-4

9.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0

Population in Millions
POPULATION PYRAMIDS WORKSHEET
AGE POP IN MILLIONS
GROUP Male Female
Use the data to create your population pyramid in the 65+ .6 .8
chart provided below. 60-64 .9 1.1
55-59 1.4 1.7
Use one color for Males one color for females. 50-54 2.1 2.4
45-49 2.7 2.8
Label the Male and Female sides 40-44 2.9 3.0
35-39 3.3 3.3
30-34 3.7 3.
25-29 4.3 4.2
Be neat and accurate. 20-24 4.6 4.3
15-19 4.5 4.2
10-14 3.9 3.6
5-9 3.9 3.6
0-4 4.0 3.6
Country: Vietnam, 2010

65+

60-64

55-59

50-54

45-49

40-44

35-39

30-34

25-29

20-24

15-19

10-14

5-9

0-4

8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0

Population in Millions
 Population Pyramids Comparisons
In a group of three (each member must have a different country) answer the following questions below using your
population pyramids.

1. Identify the which countries are:

a. Rapid Growth _________________________________________________________________________

Why? ________________________________________________________________________________

b. Stable Growth _________________________________________________________________________

Why? ________________________________________________________________________________

c. Negative Growth _______________________________________________________________________

Why? ________________________________________________________________________________

2. Identify another country that we have studied that would be considered:

a. Rapid Growth _________________________________________________________________________

b. Stable Growth _________________________________________________________________________

c. Negative Growth _______________________________________________________________________

3. Why are there, generally, more females than males in the older age groups? _____________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What could a negative growth country do to increase the population of the younger age groups to become more

stable? _____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

5. What infrastructures might a rapid growth country improve to stem the high infant mortality rate allowing their

growth to become more stable? _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What factors must a stable growth country focus on to remain stable? __________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Pick one country to analyze further. List that country’s name here: _____________________________________

a. What age group has the largest population? _________________________________________________

b. Why might this age group be the largest? ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

c. What age group has the largest population for males? ________________________________________

d. What age group has the largest population for females? _______________________________________

e. What observations can you make about this country’s health care system and life expectancy? ________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________