Theory and Method in Demography

  1. Using the US Bureau International Population database https://www.census.gov/programssurveys/international-programs/about/idb.html and the method from practical 1:
    a) Produce a population pyramid for your chosen country for the year 2020 and 1990. Present
    your two population pyramids in a graph.
    b) Referring to your population pyramids and the underlying data used to create them,
    describe how the population size and structure has changed between 1990 and 2020.
    c) Calculate the dependency ratios for 1990 and 2020 and present them in a graph.
    d) Describe how the dependency ratios changed between the two years and comment on how
    this change may affect policymaking in the country.
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  2. Use the same US Census Bureau website to source Age Specific Fertility Rates (ASFRs)
    for your chosen country (note you do not need to calculate the ASFRS yourself).
    a) Use the data to describe the way fertility has changed between the two time points 1990
    and 2020. You may use the ASFRs to generate any additional period measures of fertility
    you choose*. Your answer may include up to a maximum of 2 graphs. The task is not to
    explain the background reasons for any change but provide a description of the changing
    pattern of fertility as revealed in your measures.
    *Note 1: you must use the ASFRs to derive any additional measures rather than just
    sourcing already calculated measures on-line.
    *Note 3: You may source additional data to the ASFRs if needed to help in the derivation
    of measures
    *Note 2: Please show the working of any derived measures in the appendix which can be
    excluded from the word count
    b) Comment on the way the fertility changes you described in part a) may have influenced
    any changes in the population structure (as you reported in question 1) over the same
    period.
  3. Use the same US Census Bureau website to source Infant Mortality Rates as well as Life
    Expectancy for men and women separately. Collect this information for your chosen
    country from section 1. and 2. as well as another country of your choice for comparison.
    a) Describe the change in mortality in both countries between 1990 and 2020 using the two
    mortality indicators. You may prepare up to two graphs of your data to help visualise the
    mortality changes. Concentrate on the mortality change in the period between 1990 and
    2020 as well as the differences/similarities between the two countries rather than possible
    causes for the mortality development. Elaborate on the connection between both
    measurements (Infant Mortality Rate and Life expectancy).
    b) Elaborate on how the change in the two mortality indicators have influenced the
    population structure in the same period (the first country only). Here you can refer back to
    the population development you described in question 1.

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