A population pyramid depicts the distribution of a population by age and gender through bar graphs. It shows age groups along the vertical axis separated into 5-year increments, with males on the right side and females on the left. The pyramid illustrates percentages of each group along the horizontal axis and is useful for quickly understanding the proportion of young and old people in a population as well as growth trends. Population pyramids can take expansive, stationary, or contractive shapes indicating characteristics like high birth rates, adult predominance, or an aging population respectively.

1. A population pyramid is a diagram consisting of bar graphs that depicts the
distribution of the population at a particular time and location, according to the groups of
gender and age.
It is useful to understand certain statistics very quickly like the portion of young
people and old people in a population, life expectancy and growing trends in general.
The basic elements of a population pyramid are:
Age groups. Located in the central axis (vertical), which displays the different age groups
along each side. They start from 0 to 4 at the bottom, with each section representing 5
years, ascending to the top.
Gender. The pyramid is divided in two halves along the horizontal axis, with males on the
right and females on the left.
Years. Placed on the left-side of the diagram, this axis shows which year each age group
was born in.
Population percentages. The percentages (%) of the groups are represented along the
horizontal axis.
This example shows the Population Pyramid of Spain in the year 2007
Fill in the squares with the terms in bolds above:
Colour the bars each sides with different colours according to the gender

2. 1. EXPANSIVE SHAPE. Young population.
Analyzing the pyramid:
A wide base: young people make up over 35% of the population, due to a
high birth rate.
The pyramid's top represents a small number of old people in the population:
the elderly do not make up even 5% of the population, due to the low life
expectancy.
- Typical of underdeveloped countries like Ethiopia
2. STATIONARY SHAPE. Predominance of an adult population.
-A medium-sized base: young people make up between 35% and 25%
of the population, as apoor countries. control measures.
Typical of developing and result of birth
- A top representing a moderate number of old people in the
population: the elderly account for between 5% and 12% of the
population, due to a moderate to high life expectancy.
- Typical of developing countries
(países en vía de de desarrollo) like Venezuela.
3. CONTRACTIVE SHAPE. Aged population.
-A narrow base and top: young people make up less than 25% of the
population, due to a very low birth rate.
- A top representing a large proportion of old people: the elderly make
up more than 12% of the population due to high life expectancy.
- Typical of developed countries like European countries.