POPULATION PYRAMIDS

A population pyramid represents the age and sex structure of a population using bar graphs to represent the percentage or number of people in each age-sex group. In contrast to a typical bar graph, the graphs are on their sides with the axis in the middle. This means that they often take the shape of "pyramids" as the size of the population in the upper ages is smaller than that in the lower ages. This graph allows one to compare the relative size of age and sex groups at a glance.