Question

What are age pyramids? Name different types of age pyramids.

Answer 1

Population pyramids are graphical representations of the age and sex of a population. For this reason, population pyramids are also referred to as age-sex pyramids. There are three types of population pyramids: Expansive, Constrictive, and Stationary

(1) Expansive population pyramids depict populations that have a larger percentage of people in younger age groups. Populations with this shape usually have high fertility rates with lower life expectancies. Many third world countries have expansive population pyramids

(2) Constrictive population pyramids are named so because they are constricted at the bottom. There is a lower percentage of younger people. Constrictive population pyramids show declining birth rates, since each succeeding age group is getting smaller and smaller. The United States has a constrictive population pyramid

(3) Stationary population pyramids are those that show a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. There is not a decrease or increase in population; it is stable. Austria has a stationary population pyramid.