Understanding Population Dynamics: A Demographic Analysis
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Demography can be defined as the science that observes, describes, and analyzes the population of a territory. The study of population can be dynamic, referring to its evolution over time, mobility, and distribution in space, or static, analyzing the structure of the population at a specific time.
The goal of demography is to understand the problems linked to population growth and to establish and develop models for future predictions. Currently, local, regional, and state governments need reliable data on the population to organize and plan economic and social activities efficiently. Worldwide, the concern is to implement demographic policies to correct the effects of population explosion in the third world, where the imbalance between population and available resources threatens the survival of the planet. In Spain, the INE (National Statistics Institute) and other official bodies produce the main sources and provide demographic statistics, censuses, population surveys, and current registers.
Calculating Population: Census and Registers
A census is a statistical document prepared officially every 10 years and reviewed every 5 years to draw the electoral map. The census collects information on the total population in a country, divided by political and territorial divisions, and provides the main demographic, economic, social, and cultural data. The UN supports countries that request technical and economic assistance and recommends collecting basic information about the following aspects: total population, fertility, classification by sex and age, civil status, place of birth, nationality, language spoken, level of education, and information on housing.
Types of Population Calculation
Municipal Register: This is a record of all inhabitants of a municipality, held every 5 years but constantly updated with changes of residence, marriages, births, and deaths. It provides a basis for the electoral census.
Population by Law: This includes residents present and absent in a town at the time of the census, including the foreign population residing in the town, even temporarily.
Population in Fact: This is the number of people living in a place at the time the census takes place, including the foreign population residing there at that time.