Essential Definitions in Demography and Economic Geography
Population Dynamics and Demographic Measures
Demographic Transition
The shift from an older population model to a modern model of population change.
Life Expectancy
The average age that a person is expected to live at birth.
Zero Population Growth (ZPG)
A condition characterized by low birth rates and low mortality rates, with a tendency to equalize the two.
Population Density
The relationship between the population of a place and the space occupied.
Overpopulation
A condition in which the population density is extended to a limit that worsens the environment, decreases the quality of life, or causes a slump in the population.
Birth Rate (Crude Birth Rate)
The number of births occurring in a population in a year per thousand inhabitants.
Death Rate (Crude Death Rate)
The number of deaths that occur in a population in a year per thousand inhabitants.
Rate of Natural Increase (RNI)
The difference between deaths and births among the inhabitants of a place for every hundred inhabitants.
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)
Records the number of children dying before their first birthday per thousand babies born.
Migration and Social Concepts
Migration
The movement of a population from a place of origin to another destination.
Immigration
The entry into a country of persons born or coming from elsewhere.
Emigration
The act of leaving one's own country or region to settle in another.
Undocumented Immigrants
Immigrants who do not meet the criteria established by immigration laws.
Xenophobia
Hatred and rejection of the foreigner, encompassing actions ranging from rejection, scorn, and threats to assault and murder.
Exodus
A mass migration of a people or a crowd of people for any reason.
Population Structure and Labor Market
Population Pyramid
A histogram constructed from bars whose height is proportional to the amount, representing the structure of the population by sex and age.
Labor Force
The total number of people who have joined the labor market; i.e., those who have a job or are actively seeking one.
Inactive Population
The number of people of working age who have no job and are not actively seeking employment.
Population Age Groups
Young Population (0-14)
A population in which most citizens are aged between zero and fourteen years.
Adult Population (15-65)
A population in which most citizens are aged between fifteen and 65 years.
Elderly Population (65+)
A population in which most citizens are over age 65.
Economic Sectors
Primary Sector
Activities focused on obtaining food and raw materials directly from the natural environment.
Secondary Sector
Economic activities that transform raw materials extracted from nature into finished products.
Tertiary Sector (Service Sector)
Comprises a wide range of economic activities that, unlike the primary and secondary sectors, do not produce any material good but provide a service to society.
Administrative and Statistical Records
Census
The official count of individuals that form a statistical population, defined as a set of benchmarks upon which observations are made.
Civil Registration
An administrative agency responsible for the public service record of facts or events concerning the civil status of individuals.
Padrón Municipal (Municipal Register)
An administrative record showing all inhabitants of a municipality.