Population Pyramids
Bar graphs are a handy way to illustrate numbers. For example, if we were to graph the number of males and
females in Canada for
various age groups
according to the 1961
Census, the result
would be the
illustrations below.
If we were to display these
graphs horizontally, make a
mirror image of the one for
women, and then join them
together, we would have a
population pyramid—exactly
as seen on the next page.
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This population pyramid shows at a glance the distribution of the Canadian population in 1961.
You can see that the pyramid narrows toward the top. This is because the death rate is higher among older people
than among younger people.
There are also a few bulges and narrower parts in the middle part of the pyramid. For example, there are not as
many people in their 20s as in their 30s in Canada in 1961. The people in their 20s in 1961 were born during the
Depression, a time of economic hardship in Canada when people were having fewer children.
In 1961, the pyramid had a wide base. In fact, when we add the percentages for the three lowest age groups, we
find that 35% of the population was under 15. These are the “baby boomers,” a large group of people born
between 1947 and 1966 when the economy was growing and prospering.
By analysing population pyramids and identifying trends, we can learn a lot about our society. These statistics give
governments and others one of the tools they need to make informed decisions that will affect our lives today and
in the future.
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Data Input
Prepare a table of population data in a spreadsheet. You need a column of age cohorts as well as those of male
and female population. Note that you need to have male population data in negative
numbers. Two different tables are displayed below. To the left is the one in absolute numbers, and the other
in percentages. The percentages are calculated independently for male and female by dividing the number of
people belonging to each age cohort by the total number of entire population. In order to calculate the
percentages, you may find it convenient to use absolute references -- that is, in order to calculate percentage of
male population of ages 0 to 4 (i.e., cell F4), type in
=B4/$D$24*100
Midyear Population: by Age and Sex Year 2000
Population in thousands
AGE
MALE
00-04 -9639
05-09 -10122
10-14 -10196
15-19 -10237
20-24 -9502
25-29 -8926
30-34 -9721
35-39 -11105
40-44 -11231
45-49 -9780
50-54 -8399
55-59 -6398
60-64 -5046
65-69 -4334
70-74 -3876
75-79 -3103
80-84 -1866
85-89 -883
90-94 -319
95+
-92
Total =SUM(B4:B23)
FEMALE
BOTH
9227
=-1*B4+C4
9659
9712
9672
9098
8993
9904
11209
11402
10126
8867
6927
5631
5102
4877
4319
3047
1821
861
336
=SUM(C4:C23) =-1*B24+C24
Population in percentages
AGE
MALE FEMALE
00-04
=B4/$D$24*100
05-09
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85-89
90-94
95+
Total
BOTH
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Midyear Population: by Age and Sex Year 2000
Population in thousands
AGE
MALE
00-04
-9,639
05-09
-10,122
10-14
-10,196
15-19
-10,237
20-24
-9,502
25-29
-8,926
30-34
-9,721
35-39
-11,105
40-44
-11,231
45-49
-9,780
50-54
-8,399
55-59
-6,398
60-64
-5,046
65-69
-4,334
70-74
-3,876
75-79
-3,103
80-84
-1,866
85-89
-883
90-94
-319
95+
-92
Total
-134,775
FEMALE
9,227
9,659
9,712
9,672
9,098
8,993
9,904
11,209
11,402
10,126
8,867
6,927
5,631
5,102
4,877
4,319
3,047
1,821
861
336
140,790
BOTH
18,866
19,781
19,908
19,909
18,600
17,919
19,625
22,314
22,633
19,906
17,266
13,325
10,677
9,436
8,753
7,422
4,913
2,704
1,180
428
275,565
Population in percentages
AGE
MALE
FEMALE
00-04
-3.50
3.35
05-09
-3.67
3.51
10-14
-3.70
3.52
15-19
-3.71
3.51
20-24
-3.45
3.30
25-29
-3.24
3.26
30-34
-3.53
3.59
35-39
-4.03
4.07
40-44
-4.08
4.14
45-49
-3.55
3.67
50-54
-3.05
3.22
55-59
-2.32
2.51
60-64
-1.83
2.04
65-69
-1.57
1.85
70-74
-1.41
1.77
75-79
-1.13
1.57
80-84
-0.68
1.11
85-89
-0.32
0.66
90-94
-0.12
0.31
95+
-0.03
0.12
Total
-48.91
51.09
BOTH
6.85
7.18
7.22
7.22
6.75
6.50
7.12
8.10
8.21
7.22
6.27
4.84
3.87
3.42
3.18
2.69
1.78
0.98
0.43
0.16
100.00
Select the data field, including the column titles. Don't forget to include data labels! E.g., male, female, etc. I will
use the table in percentages.
From the draw-down menu Insert, choose the option Chart... A chart wizard will appear. You need to do the
following:
1. Insert a 2-D bar chart.
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If you didn't change any of the chart options, you should obtain a chart that looks like the one appearing below.
Adjusting the horizontal axis
1.
Move the cursor over the
horizontal axis.
2. Right-click on it, and select
Format Axis...
3. Use Custom format
and type
0;0
into the format code box.
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Adjusting the bars
Your chart may not appear quite right. Let's adjust the horizontal bars.
1. Click the cursor over to the bars (i.e., data
2.
series).
Choose Format Data Series and change the
features below
Step 7: Dressing up
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You can modify the chart to eliminate grid, change colors, change the legends, and do anything until you feel it's
right. Make sure you add meaningful titles. Adjust the vertical axis to show the age categories. You may NOT
want to add data labels because the MALE values are falsely negative. Think about what your graph illustrates and
add a text box to summarize your findings.
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