Demographic indicators are Basic concepts, meaning of indicators and purpose

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

Demography is a science that studies the processes and trends in society. It tracks patterns in the field of reproduction in specific conditions and on a specific date. This allows you to track social and economic factors. Demographic indicators are a system of statistical data. They allow to analyze the processes in society. They will be discussed further.

General characteristics

Demographic indicators are a system of statistical data that are used in the analysis of processes in society. Based on them, it is possible to draw conclusions about the number and structure of the population that lives in a certain territory. Also, with the help of such studies, they receive information about the state of he alth, economic opportunities of society. The security of the country can only be ensured if there is a system in place to protect the public interest.

The population is characterized by certain characteristics. This is taken into account during the study. The main features are:

• population of people during the change of generations self-renewing;
• the material factor of this process is the social production and consumption of products (goods and services);
• human population develops through the renewability of different structures (energy, labor, reproductive, family, etc.);
• population growth is facilitated by the expansion of areas of residence (strengthening positions in the original territories, as well as the conquest of new lands).

Demographic indicators are coefficients and absolute values that characterize patterns in the socio-economic sphere. First of all, they consider the dynamics of the population:

• fertility;
• mortality;
• marriage;
• dissolution of marriage;
• reproduction of married couples;
• other.

Also, similar values make it possible to assess changes in the structure of the population. These indicators are taken into account when developing and proving hypotheses and theories about changes in society. Based on them, demographic forecasts are made.

Types of indicators

To determine the features of population management, it is necessary to consider what demographic indicators are being studied by science. They can be divided into two more groups. These are absolute and relative indicators. The first group includes quantities that receivedirect count method. They express the number of a certain group of people in the study area.

Relative indicators are expressed as percentages or coefficients. They are used to determine population structure.

The main absolute indicators include the population in a certain territory, as well as its individual groups. This, for example, can be the absolute demographic indicators of the region, city, district or country. This category also includes the number of births and deaths, the number of marriages, divorces. Since the movement of the population can be not only natural, but also mechanical, the study also considers the number of people who came to the country and left it.

Absolute figures are obtained during the census. This allows you to summarize certain demographic events at a specific point in time. Data is collected for a year, a month, several years. Absolute figures are not informative. However, they act as initial information in the course of the analysis.

Relative indicators are calculated per thousand population. This allows you to compare data for several periods or with other countries. These are more informative values, on the basis of which conclusions are drawn about the main processes in society and forecasts for the future.

Relative indicators

Basic demographic indicators make it possible to draw conclusions about the well-being of society, its he alth, economic activity, etc. Relative values are used to assessdynamics and quality of the number of people in a certain area. With their help, it is possible to compare certain indicators within the country, as well as with other states.

Such coefficients are calculated without taking into account gender and age characteristics per thousand people. Therefore, the result is obtained in ppm (‰). The main relative coefficients that are applied by demographic management are as follows:

• The fertility rate. It is defined as the ratio of the total number of children born in a certain period (per year) to the total population per thousand people.
• Relative demographic mortality rate. Calculated by dividing the total number of deaths in a year by the total population per thousand people.
• Coefficient of natural population growth. First, the difference between births and deaths in the country per year is determined. The result is divided by the total population.
• Population doubling time. This is the period during which the population in the country will increase by 2 times. In modern conditions, this figure is more than 40 years. Therefore, it is often not considered at all during the analysis.

Population growth is also being studied in dynamics. For this, certain relative indicators are used:

• Population Growth Rate (PGR). It is calculated as the ratio of the number of people in the country to the same indicator, but in the previous period.
• Population growth rate (PGR). Calculated byformula: KRN - 1.
• Population growth rate (TP). Determined by the formula: KRN100.
• Population growth rate (PGR)=CIT100.

The listed values are important for demographic management. They allow you to track changes in the system.

Coefficient scale

Population management can be carried out in different directions. Research objectives may vary. Therefore, the set of indicators that are studied in the analysis process may be different. So, there are economic, social, medical and demographic indicators, etc. At the same time, they can take into account the same indicator, but on different scales.

Degree of detail of the indicator may be different. The analyzed demographic events and processes can be general, special or private. The choice of scale depends on the objectives of the study.

General indicators allow you to analyze the processes that occur in the entire population. They can reflect the general state of he alth and well-being of the nation. Special indicators are used to determine the demographic status of the majority of the population. The most in-depth data revealing structural changes in the system are private indicators.

Thus, the birth rate characterizes this process in the entire population. Special indicators of this group are the birth rate in the group of women under 35 years old. This ratio covers most of the group. A particular indicator in this direction is the birth rate among university students.

Due to the use of various indicators in the course of the study, it is possible to track global processes, as well as their structures, which group of the population will have higher demographic birth rates, and where they will lag behind the average value. In order to properly perform such a study, you need to clearly understand which cohorts, groups form the overall results in society. This will allow you to make the right management decisions.

Proper consideration during the analysis of indicators on the right scale allows us to develop an adequate demographic policy, develop social management technologies. Moreover, when studying population growth rates due to fertility, they necessarily study the age and sex structure of the population.

Gender structure

The demographic indicators include the values of natural and mechanical population growth. In the first group, an important process is to consider the structure of the population. The study is performed in the context of gender and age structure. On the basis of the data received, certain decisions are made in the course of the demographic policy.

The gender structure of the population involves the division into women and men. In this case, two approaches to reflecting the sexual structure can be applied. The first of them involves the determination of absolute values, their subsequent comparison. The number of men and women is determined by determining their percentages in the total population. For example, in the country after the census, the total number of people was determined to be 150 million people. Of these, 69 million people. - men, and 81 million people. - women. The following is their percentage. There are 54% of women in the country, and 46% of men.

The second method involves determining the sex ratio. This is the ratio of the number of men to the number of women, or vice versa. A similar calculation is carried out for the entire population or for its individual groups. The study determines how many men there are for every 100 women, or vice versa.

Indicators of demographic security allow developing tactics to protect the population, its individual groups from adverse factors. Based on the calculation of the sexual structure, appropriate decisions are made. There are three main factors that affect the ratio of women to men. These include the sex composition of newborns, differences in mortality, as well as in the intensity of migration.

Age Sex Ratio

Demographic indicators of a population are considered in terms of sex ratio. However, such a study would be incomplete if some age characteristics were not taken into account. The result is a primary and secondary sex ratio. This data influences decision-making during the development of population policy.

The primary sex ratio is determined in a group of newborns. This indicator is taken during the study as a constant value. It is considered a biological constant. Almost always, the ratio of boys and girls who were born alive is stable. This indicator does not depend on the ethnic group. At 100born girls accounts for 105 boys.

However, research in recent decades has shown that the primary ratio can also vary from year to year. It varies in different countries, as well as in different historical periods. On the eve of wars, the number of born boys increases in the total number of newborns.

Secondary population demographics look at the sex ratio as they mature. This indicator is influenced by many social, economic, professional and other reasons. This indicator determines the forms of marriage relations in a certain territory. The number of divorces, as well as the birth rate, depends on this coefficient.

If we consider the average, then there are 1-2% more men on our planet. The number of men is much higher in developing countries (India, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, etc.). In industrialized countries (Western Europe, USA), the female population is higher.

In our country, a record gender mismatch was determined after the Second World War. There were 1339 women per 1000 men at that time. No country in the world has known such a deformation of the structure by gender. Gradually, the gender imbalance leveled off. In the 2000s, male mortality began to decline. Therefore, the process of gender equalization resumed.

Age structure

Demographic indicators of he alth, social well-being and economic security of the population are mandatoryconsider the population in terms of age. The population is divided into groups. The intervals for years used in the analysis may be different. Groups can be one-year (1, 2, 3, etc.), five-year (0-5 years, 5-10 years, etc.), as well as ten-year (0-9 years, 10-19 years, etc.) d.).

Also, the population is considered from the point of view of the age contingent. This is a group of people who are united not only by a common age, but also by socio-economic and other characteristics. The age contingent can be, for example, school, nursery, reproductive, electoral, etc.

There are special age coefficients. They are used to determine the degree of recovery of the population of its size. If the coefficient is less than 1, the population in subsequent generations will be less than in previous ones, and vice versa. For this, the following indicators are used:

• total fertility rate (fertility) - the average number of children born to one woman;
• net reproduction rate - the number of girls from one woman who survive to the average age of motherhood;
• Gross replacement rate is the ratio between the number of girls and women of reproductive age.

When calculating women of reproductive age, the population from 15 to 45 is taken into account. Based on the information received, it is possible to draw certain conclusions about the processes in society, to make certain forecasts.

Agepyramids

Demographic indicators of the population are considered from the perspective of gender and age structure. For this, special analysis methods are used. One of them is the construction of age pyramids. This research approach is applied to the population of the whole country, certain regions, regions, social groups.

There are different types of gender and age pyramids. In the first case, the figure has the correct shape. The pyramid is wide at the base and gradually narrows towards the top. In this case, they say that the nation is young, the population is growing. If the figure is in the shape of a bell, this is a negative trend. The country's population is said to be aging.

Adverse consequences for the nation are the pyramid, which has the shape of an urn. This is an old population that is declining.

The presented methodology is used for economic and social forecasts.

Indicators in Russia

The demographic indicators of Russia are constantly monitored by the relevant authorities. As of January 1, 2018, the population of our country amounted to 146,880.432 thousand people. (according to Rosstat). The number of people permanently residing in the territory of our state increased by 0.05% compared to December 2017.

According to data for 2017, the number of deaths exceeded the number of people born by 8%. This figure has increased compared to the previous period. In 2016, this figure was 0.1%.

The birth rate is 12.9 births per 1000 population. The total increase per woman is 1.76 children. Coefficientmigration growth in 2017 amounted to 1.8 people. per 1000 population.

According to the data of the Minister of He alth of the Russian Federation, in 2017 the life expectancy of the population increased to a record for our country. She was 72.6 years old. Since 2005, this figure has increased by 7.2 years.

According to official data, the demographic indicators of Russia in terms of the ratio of men and women have somewhat leveled off. There are 1157 women for every 1000 men. Moreover, at the age of up to 5 years, there are 946 girls per 1000 boys. At the age of 30-34, the coefficient is 1.

General conclusions

Having considered the definitions and official data, it can be noted that demographic indicators are a system of absolute and relative values, on the basis of which one can draw a conclusion about the processes in society. In regions where birth rates and death rates are high, the quality of life is defined as low. Based on a number of data obtained during the study, it is possible to develop a competent demographic policy, improve the quality of life, and the economic security of society.