Can someone please help me read population pyramids for Zambia? I have to compare 3 different years and explain what's going on to the population but i don't understand how to read the population pyramid. Im having trouble understanding what the numbers are moreso than anything. The website to look at the pyramids is the US census gov. if someone doesn't mind taking the time to look at them and get back to me. The years I have to do are 1980, 1995, 2009.

Question

Can someone please help me read population pyramids for Zambia?  I have to compare 3 different years and explain what's going on to the population but i don't understand how to read the population pyramid.  Im having trouble understanding what the numbers are moreso than anything.  The website to look at the pyramids is the US census gov.  if someone doesn't mind taking the time to look at them and get back to me.  The years I have to do are 1980, 1995, 2009.

Thank you so much!

Amy

Ms. Sue · Answer

I didn't find the census site, but I did find this site with some population pyramids for Zambia at this site.

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/za/Age_distribution

The numbers along the bottom show the total number of people of each gender. The vertical bar shows the age ranges. For instance, in 1995, there were just over 0.8 million boys and 0.8 million girls in the birth to 4-year-old category. There were about 0.7 million of each gender in the 5 to 9-year-old range.

Amy · Answer

That helps alot. I have to be able to talk about each group range and the number of each. As I go along the age ranges, how do i describe them. Like you stated above, in the 5-9 year old range, would it be the 10-14 year, then 15-19 year, then 20-24 year, and so forth or am i using the wrong numbers. I hope you can understand this question. Im having a hard time describing what im talking about. thanks for your time.