Understanding Population Dynamics and Labor Force Metrics
Population
All persons of legal age to work (in Spain, between 16 and 65) that wish to do so.
Labor Force Participation
The ratio of the active population of a certain age and the population for the interval represented in percentage.
Employed Population
Also known as employed, is composed of all persons aged 16 or over who during the reference week of the survey or had a record of paid employment or have exercised self-employment (autonomous workers).
Unemployed Population
All persons aged 16 or over who meet the following conditions:
- Being out of work, i.e., that have not been employed or self-employed during the reference week.
- Seeking work, i.e., to take concrete steps to seek paid employment or have taken steps to establish their own business during the preceding month.
- Are available for work, i.e., able to start doing so in the short term.
This situation can be reconciled with others, like students or housework. The unemployed are divided into: first-time unemployed job seekers and unemployed who have worked previously.
Unemployment Rate
The number of unemployed divided by the active population, and is expressed as a percentage. There is a ratio between the total of unemployed people and the total population, but it is referred to something called “economically active”.
Dependent Population
One that “lives from the protection of another,” that is “in need of special protection.”
Index of Aging
Measures the number of older adults per 100 children and youth. It is calculated from the ratio of people aged 60 and over with respect to persons under 15, expressed as a percentage.
Migration
Any movement of population that occurs from a place of origin to another destination and brings a change of habitual residence in the case of individuals or habitat in the case of migratory species.
Emigration
Transfer of population from one place to another. The person who leaves their place of residence is an emigrant.
Immigration
Arrival of people from another country. The person who comes from outside to a place is called an immigrant.
Net Migration
The difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants in a certain place and time.
Real Growth of Population
The result of the effects of natural or vegetative growth plus the effects of migration. To calculate it is necessary to know the birth rate, mortality (or vegetative growth), and net migration of a country. The real growth of a country is expressed in the number of people.
Sex Ratio
Ratio between the number of men and women in a given territory in a given time, expressed in percentages.
Population Pyramid
Graph representing the structure of the population (classified by age and sex) of a territory in a given time. It is based on a histogram and is the representation of a frequency distribution in the form of a double axis of coordinates, on the vertical axis marked ages, and the horizontal, the strength of the male population (one side, usually the left) and female (the other). The age groups tend to occur at intervals of 5 years (or five-year cohorts are called) and are represented by overlapping bars.