Hon. Biology Activity: Power of Pyramids
1.
Log onto the Internet and go to www.census.gov
2.
While you are waiting, select a country in the world. Here are only a few suggestions. You can choose another country.
Afghanistan
Cameroon
France
Italy
Qatar
Zimbabwe
Austria
Congo
Japan
Senegal
Bangladesh
Denmark
Ghana
Portugal
Saudi Arabia
Ethiopia
Mexico
China
Brazil
El Salvador
Nigeria
South Africa
Australia
Ireland
My country is _____________________________________ and it is located _____________________________________
3.
Once you are at the census website, go to the following:
Find the word “International” under the People and Households section. Click on
International
Click on International Data Base
Click on DATA Access
Select your country from the list provided.
4.
Answer the following questions pertaining to the country selected: a.
The population in 2009: _______________________________________________________ b.
The population in 1995: _______________________________________________________ c.
The population predicted for 2015: _______________________________________________ d.
Growth rate for 2009: __________________________________________________________
 Click on “growth rate”. Write down the definition: e.
# of births for 2009: ___________________________________________________________ f.
Life expectancy: ______________________________________________________________
 Click on “life expectancy”. Write down the definition: g.
# of deaths for 2009: ___________________________________________________________ h.
Net # of migrant’s: ____________________________________________________________
 Click on “net # of migrants. Write down the definition: i.
What percent of your country makes up the world population? (World population is 6,710,926,117). Calculate by dividing the total population of your country by the world population and multiply by 100.
5.
Scroll down the page to the section labeled “ Population Pyramids”.
Change graph size to “ Large ” and click “ Go ”.

Analysis
1.
Which gender has the higher population in the youngest age groups on your pyramid? Explain the answer.
2.
Which gender has the higher population in the oldest age group? Explain.
3.
Does your country population pyramid look like a pyramid?
4.
What can you tell about your country’s growth rate by looking at the pyramid and data?
5.
If birth and death rates remain the same, what will the pyramid look like in 25 years?
6.
What are some factors that could change the shape of the pyramid. Explain.
7.
If you had a business and you wanted to capitalize on your information about the population age distribution, what would you sell and why?
8.
From your data and from pyramid, would you place your country in the category of developing or developed country or mid-way? For example, US is developed and Ethiopia is developing.
9.
Explain the purpose of a population pyramid.

Biology Activity: Power of Pyramids
1.
Observe the provided age structure diagrams of the countries represented on the attached handout.
2.
Which gender has the higher population in the youngest age groups on each pyramid? Why?
3.
Which gender has the higher population in the oldest age groups on each pyramid? Why?
4.
Of the six graphs, which two look most like pyramids? _____________ and ______________ a.
What does that indicate about their population growth rates?
5.
What country appears to have the slowest growth rate? ___________ How can you tell?
6.
How do the pyramids for Mexico and USA compare?
7.
What is different about the shape of China’s pyramid? a.
What unique factors have given the pyramid this shape?
8.
Examine the World Population Pyramid on the overhead
. Which country’s pyramid is closest to the World Pyramid? _______________________
9.
What are the biggest age groups in the USA?
10.
How is it that “baby boomers”, who have chosen to have relatively small families (avg. two children per family), have produced such a large generation of babies?
11.
In what country do children make up the biggest percentage of the population? _______________
How could you tell?
12.
What does this say about the future shape of this country’s pyramid?