AGE STRUCTURE

AGE STRUCTURE
The age structure of a population refers to the number of people in different age groups. A larger size of popu­lation in the age group of 15-59 years indicates the chances of having a larger working population. On the other hand, if the number of children in the population is high, the dependency ratio will be high. Similarly, a growing popu­lation in the age group of 60 plus indicates greater expenditure on the care of the aged.

There are three types of age structures, viz., (i) the West European type in which children constitute less than 30 per cent, and 15 per cent of the population are old; (ii) the North American type where 35-40 per cent of the population are children and ten per cent, old people; and

(iii) the Brazilian type where 45-55 per cent of the popu­lation are children, and old people constitute only four­eight per cent of the total population. The type of age structure has a direct influence on the future of a nation, since both extremes, Le., old age dependency as well as young age dependency prove to be a severe burden on the economy of a country.