INTRODUCTION TO POPULATION STUDIES

POPULATION CONCEPTS 1
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 POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHY

Demography is the scientific study of

the population which includes sizes,
composition and distribution of
Population refers to a distinct group
population. Its information is
individuals whether that group
gathered from censuses, birth and
comprises of a nation or a group of
death records, sample survey of
people with similar characteristics.
population, visa and immigration
records, motor vehicle and school
registration.
 CRUDE BIRTH RATE

• Crude Birth Rate also known as Birth Rate refers to the number of
live births per 1,000 population in a given year. It is calculated at
mid-year.
• CBR Formula-  Number of live births X 1,000
                         Total Population
• Most countries prefer to have a birth rate below 10% per 1,000.
• It is not usually used by demographers or social scientist because
it does not account for the different age group of women.
 Fertility Rate

Fecundity is a woman's maximum childbearing capacity which is

determined by physiological factors but reduced by  finance, cultural
norms and personal choice (Macionis, 2001)
• Fertility is the actual reproductive performance of an individual, couple or population.

Total Fertility Rate refers to the number of children that would be

born a woman if she lived to the end of her childbearing years with
current specific year  fertility rates (15-49).
• It is the biological practices in most cultures that women between these ages have
children.
Fertility Rate

Demographers
are concerned
with age-
specific fertility
Total fertility is a because it can
more determine if one
sophisticated age group is
form of Crude more fertile than
Birth Rate since it others.
specifies the age
group of women.
 Fertility Rate

• TFR: number of birth X 1, 000

          Women ages 15-49 years

• ASFR: number of birth X 1, 000

             Women ages (specify age group)
• One important observation is the role of teenagers and young
women. In undeveloped, teenage pregnancy is more likely to be a
problem because the population has a higher porportion of younger
people.
 Death Rate

• Death rate refers to the number of death per 1,000 in a given

year.
• DR: total deaths X 1,000
         Total population
Demographers prefer age specific death rate because it yields more
information.
 Natural Increase and Natural Decrease

• Natural increase is the surplus of birth over deaths in a given year

while natural decrease is the surplus of deaths over births.

• NI: number of live births – number of death

• This is the formula for both natural increase and descrease.
 Infant Mortality Rate

• Infant mortality rate refers to the number of deaths of infants under 1

year of age per 1,000 live births in a given year.

•  This is a good indicator of health of a country.

• IMR: Total number of deaths under 1 year X 1000 

           Total live births

 Life Expectancy

Life Expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years a person

is expected to live based on age-specific death rate for a given year.

It is cited at birth since it indicates the number of years a child can

live if mortality patterns remain the same through their life.

It is a hypothetical measure and good indicator of health in a country

It depends on other factors like socio-economic status, gender and

ethnicity.
 Migration

• Migration is the movement of the population across specific

boundaries for the purpose of establishing new residence.

• There are 2 main types of migration: 1. internal migration

(movement within a country) and 2. international migration
(immigration and emigration) movement to different countries.
 Migration

• The 2 type of international migration (immigration and emigration)

• Immigration refers to the number of people coming into a country

in a given year. This is because of pull factors like employment
opportunities.

• Emigration refers to the number of people leaving a country each

year because of push factors like famine, wars, unemployment.
 Migration

• IR: Total number of immigrants X 1,000

        Total population of destination

• ER: Total number of emigrants X 1, 000

         Total population at origin

 Migration

• Some other types of migration are:

- Regional- the movement from one country to another within the
same geographical area.
- Domestic- movement within one's country
-Urbanization- is a type of domestic migration where people move
from rural area to urban areas. It can also mean the transformation
of rural areas into towns or cities.
Urbanization has its start in the Industrial Revolution of the late
19th century in Europe and England particularly.
 Migration

• Commuting is considered daily migration which involves some form of

transportation. It has led to massive traffic jam, increase number of vehicle
on the road. In the Caribbean, the existing roadways are unable to handle
the number of vehicles.

• Transhumance is a semi-nomadic form of migration. It is a characteristic of

Europe (Alpine) where people move up and down the mountain slopes
during different seasons.
 Population Growth

• Population change is the aspect of population change arising out of the

interaction of birth, death and migration.
• Population Growth rate is the rate at which the population is increasing
or decreasing because of natural increase and net migration. This
is expressed as a percentage of base population.
• PGR: (births-deaths for a yr) + (immigration-emigration for a yr)
                                          Total Population
• PGR: Rate of Natural Increase + Net migration
• It should be noted that negative figures can be derived for rate of
natural and net migration because of negative social and economic
factors within a country.
 Dependency Ratio

• Dependency Ration compares the number of dependents with the

number of economical able/productive members.
• As the ratio increases, there is greater burden on
the productive members to maintain the economically dependent.
• This has a direct impact on financial expenditure on things like
social security as well as indirect consequences for the productive
members.
• Dependents are usually the elder (65 and over) and the young
(under 15).
 Dependency Ratio 

• DRO: Number of dependents: Number of working population

• DRO: (population under 15)+(population 65 and over) X 100
                  Population age 15-64
• The working population is usually expressed as percentage.
 Human Development Index (HDI)

• The UNDP defines HDI as a composite index measuring the average

achievement of 3 basic dimensions of human development: long and healthy
life, knowledge and standard of living.
• It is calculated by averaging the indices of life expectancy, education and
GDP.
• HDI: life expectancy + education + GDP
                 3
• HDI: 1/3 (life expectancy index) + 1/3 (education index) + 1/3 (GDP index)
• One does not need to know the health index because it includes the life
expectancy index.