Population pyramids graphically show the age and gender distribution of a country's population. There are several types of population pyramids that provide information about population trends. Expanding pyramids are typical of less developed countries and show high birth and death rates, while stationary pyramids of more developed countries show low and stable birth and death rates. Contracting pyramids seen in developed nations have decreasing birth rates and an aging population.

1. Population pyramids are graphics that
show information about the age and
gender of people in a specific country.
Population pyramids

2. Types of population pyramids
32

3. How do population pyramids
help us learn about
population?

4. Male Female
Population in millions
In this
country
there is a
high Birth
Rate
There is
also a high
Death Rate.
This population pyramid is typical of countries
in poorer parts of the world (LEDCs.)
Expanding pyramid

5. In some LEDCs the
government is encouraging
couples to have smaller
families. This means the
birth rate has fallen.

6. Male Female
Population in millions
In this country
the number of
people in each
age group is
about the same.
The largest
category of
people were
born about
40 years ago.
In this country there is a low Birth Rate and a
low Death Rate.
This population pyramid is typical of countries
in the richer parts of the world (MEDCs.)
Stationary pyramid

7. Population in millions
Male Female
In this
country the
birth rate is
decreasing.
In the future the elderly
people will make up the
largest section of the
population in this country.
This is happening
more and more in
many of the world’s
richer countries.
Contracting pyramid

8. There are narrower parts in the
middle part of the pyramid.
People in their 20s in 1961 were
born during the Depression, a
time of economic hardship in
Canada when people were having
fewer children.
Spearhead pyramid
The pyramid had a wide base.
These are the “baby boomers,” a
large group of people born
between 1947 and 1966 when
the economy was growing and
prospering.
This is caused by a war, a
time of economic hardship,
illnesses, famine...

9. Male Female
Population in thousands
This country has a large number
of temporary workers. These
are people who migrate here
especially to find a job.

10. To sum up…
Expanding pyramidExpanding pyramid Stationary pyramidStationary pyramid Contracting pyramidContracting pyramid
LESS DEVELOPEDLESS DEVELOPED
COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES
DEVELOPINGDEVELOPING
COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES
DEVELOPEDDEVELOPED
COUNTRIESCOUNTRIES

11. Population pyramid for
Mozambique.
Population pyramid for
Iceland.

12. What happens next?

14. What is going to happen to Japan’s population in
the future?
Why does this matter?

15. ?

16. ?

17. ?

18. File path - Student pool/Geography/Year 9/Populatio
Optional task:
•Open your own PowerPoint presentation.
•Go to www.census.gov www.census.gov
•Select Search and type in IDB.
•Select International Database
•From here select Population Pyramids.
•Find a population pyramid typical of a poor country (LEDC) copy and paste it
into your PowerPoint document then add labels to explain what is shown.
•Repeat for an MEDC (rich) country.
•For a country of your choice copy and paste the pyramids for 2000, 2025 and
2050.
•Write about what the graphs show and try to give reasons for the patterns.
Explain how the population of this country is changing and say how that could
affect the country.
•Find out some background information on each country and add this to your
presentation

19. You can add the population pyramid
graphic to your work Population
research and explain it.