Demographic Indicators: Definitions and Factors

Demographic Indicators

Natural balance: Births – Deaths

Net migration: Immigrants – Emigrants

Birth rate: Births that occur in a population per thousand inhabitants in a given year

(2010) [Number of births / total population] x 1000

Death rate: Deaths that occur in a population per thousand inhabitants in a given year

(2010) [Number of deaths / total population] x 1000

Fertility rate: Average number of children women have in a population throughout their reproductive years (15-49)

[Number of births / women (15-49)] x 1000

Infant mortality rate: Number of deaths among children aged 0 to 1 year per thousand live births in a given year

(2010) [Number of deaths (0-1) / total live births] x 1000

Life expectancy at birth: Average number of years individuals of a population are expected to live in a given year

Sex ratio: Number of men per 100 women in a population

Dependency ratio: Ratio of economically active population (which is of working age) and dependent population (children and retirees)

Types of Population Pyramid

Progressive (or Eiffel Tower): High dependency ratio (large population <15)

Regressive (or Funeral urn): High rate of negative dependence (much older population)

Natality

Reproductive performance of women: Varies by country (poor/rich or rural/urban)

Factors influencing natality:

  • University study and women’s work -> less desire to have children (- fertility)
  • Role of women in the home -> active (keeps house and rearing children -> + natality) or passive (dual-income family -> – natality)
  • Access to information -> contraceptive use -> Family Planning
  • State policies and incentives


Mortality

Quality of Life:

  1. Health and sanitation coverage
  2. Power

Infant mortality

Life expectancy and an aging population: (+ deaths)

Household and Poverty

Household: Group of people living under one roof and sharing living expenses

Homeless: Individuals or households who fail to meet basic food needs

Basic Food Basket (BFB): A set of food products that a company considers essential to life. It has a certain price and varies by age and sex

Basic Basket Total (BBT): BFB + basic expenses -> transportation, clothing, health, education, home services, etc.

Poor: Individuals or households who fail to meet the BBT

Poverty Criteria in Europe

  1. Entry criteria: Not having a minimum level (threshold) of money to cover basic household needs
  2. Basic Needs (UBN): Deprivation of individuals and households in relation to the material and the space available and the level of schooling and its relationship with type of work that serves

Structural Poverty (long term)

Housing: Overcrowding (+ 3 people per room) and provision of water and sewer

Access to education: Home with children not attending school

Affordability: Household with 4 or more members per working person and a low level of education

Population Types

Urban Population: Population concentrated in agglomerations of > 2000 inhabitants (standard French)

Rural Population: Population dispersed or concentrated in clusters of < 2000 inhabitants