absolute population

Geographic

2022

We explain what the absolute population is, how it is calculated and examples of the absolute population in Mexico, Brazil and China.

persons that inhabit a territory during a certain period. This value also contemplates the interrelation of the following variables statistics:

  • Total births and immigration.
  • Total deaths and emigrations.

Knowing the number of the absolute population allows predicting the behavior of the inhabitants of a territory, performing research and make projections in order to anticipate social, economic and health problems. Health, among other advantages.

What do we need to calculate the absolute population?

The absolute population is calculated with the total number of the population, adding the rate of birth rate and the immigration rate, and subtracting the mortality rate and the emigration rate. All values ​​are calculated based on the same period of weather.

To perform the calculation, we will need:

Birth rate

It is the number of births that occurred in a territory during a certain time. To calculate the birth rate, the number of births (for example, over a year) is divided by the number of the total population reached in the same period. The result is multiplied by a thousand, and that final number corresponds to the birth rate.

To illustrate it in a simple way, we can perform the following calculation: if there were seven hundred births in a year and the total population reached two hundred thousand inhabitants, we must divide 700 by 200,000, and the result is multiplied by 1,000 which gives a total of 3, 5. The number of the birth rate is 3.5 births per thousand inhabitants.

Mortality rate

Corresponds to the number of deceased persons in a region for a specified time. To calculate the mortality rate, the number of deaths (for example, those that occurred during a year) is divided by the number of the total population reached in the same period. The result is multiplied by a thousand, and that final number corresponds to the death rate.

To illustrate it in a simple way, we can perform the following calculation: if there were three hundred deaths in a year and the total population reached two hundred thousand inhabitants, we must divide 300 by 200,000, and the result is multiplied by 1,000, which gives a total of 0.015. The number of the mortality rate is 1.5 deaths per thousand inhabitants.

Migration rate

It corresponds to income and expenses, and is calculated in a similar way to the birth and death rates. The amount of income with permanent stay in a territory that existed during a year is counted.The result is divided by the amount of total population reached in that period of weather and the final number is divided by a thousand.

To illustrate it in a simple way, we can perform the following calculation: if there were 400 immigrations during a year, that number is divided by 200,000, which is the number of inhabitants. The result is 0.002, which, when multiplied by 1,000, gives a final value of 8. The immigration rate is 2 entries per thousand inhabitants.

How do we calculate the absolute population?

We said then that the absolute population is calculated with the total number of the population, adding the birth rate and the immigration rate, and subtracting the death rate and the emigration rate.

To finally obtain the absolute population number, the total population number must be added together with the statistical values ​​of the respective rates (birth and immigration, mortality and emigration) that were calculated during the same period.

To make the values ​​expressed as "rates" compatible with the total population number, a "simple rule of three" operation can be performed.

Absolute population examples

  • The absolute population of Mexico in 2017 was 129,163,276 and in 2019 it reached 132,242,957 inhabitants. In the last two years it had a total increase of 3,079,679 inhabitants.
  • The absolute population of China in 2017 was 1,409,517,397 and in 2019 it reached 1,419,791,153. In the last two years it had a total increase of 10,273,756 inhabitants.
  • The absolute population of Brazil in 2017 was 209,288,279 and in 2019 it reached 212,310,252 inhabitants. In the last two years it had a total increase of 3,021,973 inhabitants.

Relative population

The relative population, also called “population density”Refers to the distribution of the number of inhabitants in a territory (country, state, province, county, etc.). It is calculated by taking the number of inhabitants per square meter or square mile, depending on the unit of length used by each country.

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