Question

Define age structure, death rate and birth rate.

Answer 1

Age Composition:
• The age composition of a population refers to the number of people in different age groups in a country.
• The number and percentage of a population found within the children, working age and aged groups are notable determinants of the population’s social and economic structure.
• Population of country can be grouped into three categories:
→ Children (below 15 years): economically unproductive, need to be provided with food, clothing, education and medical care. Comprises 34.4% of total India's population.
→ Working Age (15-59 years): economically productive and biologically reproductive. Considered as working population. Comprises 6.9% of total India's population.
→ Aged (Above 59 years): can be economically productive though they may have retired. May be working but they are not available for employment through recruitment. Comprises 58.7% of total India's population.

Increased facilities provided to live a comfortable life and better medical facilities that have brought down the death rate is the cause for an increase in people being added every decade despite the decline in growth rate.

(i) The rate of population growth has been declining as a result of greater use of birth control measures.

The difference between birth rate and death rate accounts for natural increase in population.