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Module 8 Population Composition 129In this Module, we discussed the importance of learning about the age-sex structure of a population. The age structure affects future population growth, labor supply, consumption patterns, economic development, and dependency ratios. A country with a young population will face very different opportunities and challenges than one with an aging population. Identifying generations that share common cultural traits and values is a useful way of looking at the population structure and may help us predict economic and social trends in the future. The sex ratio is another important structural aspect of a population. Cultural preferences for males, gender-selective migration, and war may cause an unbalanced sex ratio that can have serious social consequences. Population pyramids illustrate the age-sex structure of populations, and their shapes reveal much about the demographic characteristics of a country or place.Arab Emirates, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, have allowed the ongoing immigration of adult workers to meet their need for low-skilled labor. Most of these immigrant workers are young men, so these countries%u2019 population pyramids show an unusually large bulge on the male side, as illustrated by Oman%u2019s population pyramid in Figure 8.7.Local areas usually don%u2019t have a balanced age-sex structure, so their population pyramids can look even more extreme. For example, Sun City, Arizona, is an active adult community that requires its residents to be at least 55 years old. Its population pyramid in Figure 8.7 reflects its elderly population. Overland Park, Kansas, is a typical suburban community, full of families with young children at home%u2014hence one bulge in the young age cohorts and another bulge in the middle-age range, as shown in Figure 8.7. Finally, Lawrence, Kansas, is a college town, home to the University of Kansas. Its population pyramid shows the high proportion of college-age people.Module 8 Review8-1 How do we describe the age structure of a population?%u2022 Age structure refers to the shares of various age groups in the total population. We may use five-year groupings or three large groups: pre-reproductive, reproductive, and post-reproductive.%u2022 Age structure affects future population growth, labor supply, dependency ratios, demand for goods and services, and economic growth.%u2022 The dependency ratio is the number of dependents per 100 working-age people.%u2022 The youth dependency ratio is the number of young dependents (under age 15) per 100 working-age people. The elderly dependency ratio is the number of elderly dependents (ages 65 and older) per 100 working-age individuals.8-2 What are the major social generations in the United States?%u2022 Generations are groups of people born around the same period of time who share common cultural traits and values.%u2022 Understanding the characteristics of different social generations helps us predict economic and social trends.8-3 What is the sex ratio of a population?%u2022 Sex ratio is the numerical ratio of males to females in the population.%u2022 Unbalanced sex ratios may be caused by cultural preferences for males, genderselective migration, and war. They can have serious social consequences.8-4 What can a population pyramid be used%u00a0for?%u2022 A population pyramid illustrates the age-sex structure of a population based on five-year age groupings.%u2022 The shape of a country%u2019s or a place%u2019s population pyramid can speak volumes about its past demographic changes and its%u00a0future.Preparing for the AP%u00ae Exam%u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.