Demographics is Destiny
December 10, 2013 7:47 PM Subscribe
4 GIFs showing how the population in 4 different countries has and will age over time. (courtesy of Planet Money)
Interesting stuff. Why is Nigeria so nicely exponential?
Also, I wish that the colour saturation varied as a function of temporal distance from the present day, i.e., 2015 (2013 rounded) is the most saturated, 2010 and 2020 are the second most saturated, and so forth. Right now, saturation increases as a function of time, and that means that there is no obvious point that demarcates past, observed data and future, predicted data.
posted by tickingclock at 8:28 PM on December 10, 2013
Also, I wish that the colour saturation varied as a function of temporal distance from the present day, i.e., 2015 (2013 rounded) is the most saturated, 2010 and 2020 are the second most saturated, and so forth. Right now, saturation increases as a function of time, and that means that there is no obvious point that demarcates past, observed data and future, predicted data.
posted by tickingclock at 8:28 PM on December 10, 2013
That's interesting that in Japan's chart you can see both the Baby Boom and the Echo Boom (Boomers' kids) really clearly, but you can't see the Echo Boom in the US chart except as the teeniest waver. I suppose that's primarily US immigration evening out the Baby Boom somewhat?
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:19 PM on December 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:19 PM on December 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
No cannibalism crash as we run out of potash and topsoil?
posted by benzenedream at 10:15 PM on December 10, 2013
posted by benzenedream at 10:15 PM on December 10, 2013
Interesting stuff. Why is Nigeria so nicely exponential?
It's because Nigerian women average 6 or 7 kids, and most of them live to adulthood. That's average! It's a disaster in the making. The averaging of 6-7 kids per woman, I mean, not the most of them living to adulthood part. You want virtually all kids to live to adulthood but only an average of 2 or so per woman. Or slightly less if you want to bring down your population gracefully.
posted by Justinian at 10:15 PM on December 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's because Nigerian women average 6 or 7 kids, and most of them live to adulthood. That's average! It's a disaster in the making. The averaging of 6-7 kids per woman, I mean, not the most of them living to adulthood part. You want virtually all kids to live to adulthood but only an average of 2 or so per woman. Or slightly less if you want to bring down your population gracefully.
posted by Justinian at 10:15 PM on December 10, 2013 [2 favorites]
I get to live past 79.
Indeed. I feel like capping the data at 79, while perhaps necessary based on the data being used, seriously undersells the number of ageing boomers developed countries will be dealing with in 20 years.
posted by dry white toast at 10:40 PM on December 10, 2013
Indeed. I feel like capping the data at 79, while perhaps necessary based on the data being used, seriously undersells the number of ageing boomers developed countries will be dealing with in 20 years.
posted by dry white toast at 10:40 PM on December 10, 2013
GIFs are a useful and fun format for a lot of things. Hilarious RuPaul's Drag Race moments. Bunnies falling over. Graphs about ageing population, though, not so much.
posted by creeky at 2:05 AM on December 11, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by creeky at 2:05 AM on December 11, 2013 [3 favorites]
Graphs about ageing population, though, not so much.
Like most ways of presenting information, it has advantages and disadvantages. It's much easier to perceive the shift in Japan's age breakdown seeing the graph in motion this way. But I often wish GIFs came with a pause button so I could see individual frames for longer.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 4:56 AM on December 11, 2013
Like most ways of presenting information, it has advantages and disadvantages. It's much easier to perceive the shift in Japan's age breakdown seeing the graph in motion this way. But I often wish GIFs came with a pause button so I could see individual frames for longer.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 4:56 AM on December 11, 2013
"Wait! Stop! Go back, I want to see - no, stop, don't - no - you did it agai - AUGH I'll wait for the gif to cycle back to the start. OK, self, pay close atten - FUCK I missed it AGAIN?"
posted by erlking at 6:47 AM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by erlking at 6:47 AM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by jb at 8:08 PM on December 10, 2013 [3 favorites]