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By the end of these notes, you should be able to:
Population structure means how a country's population is divided up — by age (how old people are) and sex (male or female). It tells us how many young people, middle-aged people, and older people are living in a country, and whether there are more males or females.
Understanding population structure is important because it helps governments plan for schools, hospitals, housing, and jobs.
Before we look at population structure, you need to know what these two terms mean:
MEDC stands for More Economically Developed Country. These are wealthier countries with strong economies, good healthcare, and high standards of living. Examples include the UK, Germany, Japan, and Australia.
LEDC stands for Less Economically Developed Country. These are poorer countries with weaker economies, less access to healthcare, and lower standards of living. Examples include Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia.
The population structure of MEDCs and LEDCs looks very different from each other — and the best way to see this is by using a population pyramid.
A population pyramid is a special type of bar chart (a graph made of bars) that shows the population structure of a country. Here is how it works:
By looking at the shape of the pyramid, you can immediately tell whether a country is an MEDC or an LEDC.
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