NewCronos

Domain: DEMOGRAPHY

GLOSSARY

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - I - L - M - N - P - S - T

ACQUISITION OF CITIZENSHIP

Includes all those who acquire citizenship of the reporting country, having previously been citizens of another country, or stateless.

AGE AT LAST BIRTHDAY

Age expressed as the number of birthday anniversaries passed on the date of reference. As it is the same as the number of completed years lived by a person, it is also referred to as « age in completed years ».

AGE DEPENDENCY RATIO

The ratio of the number of persons of an age when they are generally economically inactive to the number of persons of working age (from 15 to 64 (1^st variant) or from 20 to 59 (second variant) depending on the context). The total dependency ratio is obtained by adding the age dependency ratio of the young and the age dependency ratio of the old.

AGE DEPENDENCY RATIO OF THE OLD (OLD-AGE DEPENDENCY RATIO)

The ratio of the number of elderly persons of an age when they are generally economically inactive (aged 65 and over or aged 60 and over depending on the context) to the number of persons of working age (from 15 to 64 or from 20 to 59 depending on the context).

AGE DEPENDENCY RATIO OF THE YOUNG (YOUNG-AGE DEPENDENCY RATIO)

The ratio of the number of young persons of an age when they are generally economically inactive (either under 15 or under 20 depending on the context) to the number of persons of working age (from 15 to 64 or from 20 to 59 depending on the context).

AGE REACHED DURING THE YEAR

The number of complete years lived at the end of the year in question: for example, on 14 July 1997, a person born on 22 August 1971 will be 26 during the year (on 22 August 1997, i.e. before 1 January 1998). This is the case for all of the 1971 generation. The age reached during the year is also equal to the year in question minus the year of birth (1997-1971=26).

ASYLUM-SEEKER

Person who applies for protection under Article 1 of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951, as amended by the New York Protocol of 31 January 1967. This definition generally refers to all who apply for protection on an individual basis, irrespective of whether they lodge their application on arrival at an airport or land border, or from inside the country, and irrespective of whether they entered the territory legally (e.g. as a tourist) or illegally. Most Member States record applications of individuals. Some record only cases. National totals may include repeat applications.

AVERAGE (OR MID-YEAR OR MEAN) POPULATION

The average population during a calendar year is generally calculated as the arithmetic mean of the population on 1 January of two consecutive years (it is also referred to as the mean population). However, some countries calculate it differently, use the population based on registers or estimate it on a date close to 1 July (mid-year population).

BIRTH ORDER

Ranking of a newborn baby in relation to all the previous live births of the mother; that is, the number of previous live births plus the birth which has just occurred. For some countries, only the birth order within the current marriage is available.

COHORT

A group of people sharing a common demographic experience who are observed through time. The cohort of persons born in the same year is known as a generation, while the cohort of persons married in the same year is called a marriage cohort or a marriage generation.

COMPLETED FERTILITY

The mean number of children born to women of a given generation at the end of their childbearing years. This is calculated by adding the fertility rates by age of the mother observed for successive years, when the cohort has reached the age in question (in general, only ages between 15 and 49 years are considered). In practice, the fertility rates for older women can be estimated using the rates observed for previous generations, without waiting for the cohort to reach the end of the reproductive period.

CRUDE BIRTH RATE

The ratio of the number of births during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

CRUDE DEATH RATE

The ratio of the number of deaths during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

CRUDE DIVORCE RATE

The ratio of the number of divorces during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

CRUDE MARRIAGE RATE

The ratio of the number of marriages during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

CRUDE RATE OF INCREASE

The ratio of the total population change during the year to the average population of the area in question in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

CRUDE RATE OF NET MIGRATION

The ratio of the net migration during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants. The crude rate of net migration is equal to the difference between the crude rate of increase and the crude rate of natural increase (that is, net migration is considered as the part of population change not attributable to births and deaths). It is calculated in this way because immigration or emigration flows are either unknown or the figures are not sufficiently precise.

CRUDE RATE OF NATURAL INCREASE

The ratio of natural population increase over a period to the average population of the area in question during that period. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

DIVORCE RATES BY DURATION OF MARRIAGE

For each calendar year n, if the number of divorces ranked according to the duration of marriage in years x is available, divorce rates by duration of marriage can be calculated by relating the number of divorces at the end of x years of marriage to the number of marriages in year n-x.

EARLY NEONATAL MORTALITY RATE

The ratio of the number of deaths of children under one week during the year to the number of live births in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 live births.

EVER-MARRIED

Individuals, whose marital status on the date in question is married, widowed or divorced. Ever-married persons have therefore been married at least once on the date in question.

FERTILITY RATES BY AGE OF THE MOTHER (AGE SPECIFIC FERTILITY RATE)

The number of births to mothers of age x to the average female population of age x. Depending on the country, the age is either the age reached during the year or the age at last birthday. Eurostat converts the rates established using the age at last birthday into rates based on the age reached during the year in order to produce comparable data between countries.

FIRST MARRIAGE RATES BY AGE

The number of first marriages of women (or men) of age x to the average female (or male) population of age x. Depending on the country, the age is either the age reached during the year or the age at last birthday. Eurostat converts the rates established using the age at last birthday into rates based on the age reached during the year in order to produce coherent data.

GENERATION

A group of persons born in the same period, generally taken as a calendar year.

GROSS REPRODUCTION RATE

The average number of daughters that would be born to a woman subjected to the fertility conditions of the year in question, assuming zero mortality between birth and the reproductive age. It is equal to the total fertility rate multiplied by the proportion of female births (around 48%).

INFANT MORTALITY RATE

The ratio of the number of deaths of children under one year of age during the year to the number of live births in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 live births.

LATE FOETAL MORTALITY RATE

The ratio of the number of still births during the year to the number of total births (live births + still births) in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 births.

LIVE BIRTHS

Births of children that showed any sign of life. It is the number of births excluding stillbirths (total births include live births and stillbirths).

LIVE BIRTHS OUTSIDE MARRIAGE

Births where the mother's marital status at the time of birth is other than married.

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH

The mean number of years that a newborn child can expect to live if subjected throughout his life to the current mortality conditions (age specific probabilities of dying).

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT CERTAIN AGES

The mean number of years still to be lived by a person who have reached a certain exact age, if subjected throughout the rest of his life to the current mortality conditions (age specific probabilities of dying).

MARITAL STATUS

Marital status is the legally defined marital state. There are four types of marital status: single, married, widowed and divorced.

MARRIAGE COHORT

Group (cohort) of persons married in the same calendar year.

MEAN AGE OF WOMEN AT CHILDBEARING

The mean age of women when their children are born.

For a given calendar year, the mean age of women at childbearing can be calculated using the fertility rates by age (in general, the reproductive period is between 15 and 49 years of age). Thus calculated from the fertility rates by age, the mean age is not weighted, meaning that the different numbers of mothers at each age are not taken into account.

MEAN AGE OF WOMEN AT CHILDBEARING BY GENERATION

The mean age of women from the same generation when their children are born. The mean age is normally calculated when women have reached the end of their childbearing years (at age 50). The mean age of women at childbearing for a given calendar year comprises the fertility rates by age for women of different generations. By adding the rates for each of the calendar years lived by the same generation from the beginning of their childbearing years (at 15 years of age), the mean age at childbearing for this generation can be obtained. In principle, this calculation cannot be made until the generation has reached the end of their childbearing period, at around 50 years of age, but in practice, the fertility rates for older women can be estimated using the rates observed for previous generations.

MEAN AGE OF WOMEN AT FIRST BIRTH BY GENERATION

This indicator is calculated in a similar way to the mean age of women at childbearing by generation, by adding the rates of first order births by age reached for each of the calendar years lived by the same generation from the beginning of their childbearing years. In each instance the number of first births to women of the age in question is related to the number of women of that age.

MEDIAN MARRIAGE DURATION AT DIVORCE BY MARRIAGE COHORT

The median marriage duration at divorce by marriage generation is obtained by adding the series of divorce rates by duration of marriage for a set of calendar years for a single marriage cohort, until the cumulative value reaches 0.50. In practice, the divorce rates for advanced durations of marriage can be estimated using the rates for previous generations, without waiting for the married life of the cohort to be completely over.

MEDIAN MARRIAGE DURATION AT DIVORCE BY CALENDAR YEAR

The median marriage duration at divorce by calendar year is obtained by adding the series of divorce rates by duration of marriage for the calendar years under consideration, when the cumulative value reaches 0.50.

NATURAL INCREASE

The difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during the year. The natural increase (or natural decrease) is negative when the number of deaths exceeds the number of births.

NEONATAL MORTALITY RATE

The ratio of the number of deaths of children under 28 days during the year to the number of live births in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 live births.

NET MIGRATION

The difference between immigration into and emigration from the area during the year (net migration is therefore negative when the number of emigrants exceeds the number of immigrants). Since most countries either do not have accurate figures on immigration and emigration or have no figures at all, net migration is generally estimated on the basis of the difference between population change and natural increase between two dates (in Eurostat database, it is then called corrected net migration). The statistics on net migration are therefore affected by all the statistical inaccuracies in the two components of this equation, especially population change.

NET REPRODUCTION RATE

The average number of daughters that will survive until childbearing ages, born to a woman if they will experience the age-specific fertility and mortality rates of the year in question. It is the gross reproduction rate, adjusted for female mortality.

NON-NATIONALS

Non-nationals of a given country are persons who do not have the nationality of that country on the date in question.

PARITY

A woman is of parity n when she has already given birth to n children. Stillbirths are excluded from the breakdown of births by order or parity.

PERINATAL MORTALITY RATE

The ratio of the number of deaths of children under one week and the stillbirths during the year, to the number of births in that year (including stillbirths). The value is expressed per 1000 births.

POPULATION CHANGE

The difference between the size of the population at the end and the beginning of a period. It is equal to the algebraic sum of natural increase and net migration (including corrections). There is negative change when both of these components are negative or when one is negative and has a higher absolute value than the other.

POPULATION DENSITY

The ratio of the mid-year population of a territory on a given date to the size of the territory.

(NATIONAL) POPULATION FORECASTS

Population projections made by the National Statistical Institutes.

POPULATION ON 1 JANUARY

The inhabitants of a given area on 1 January of the year in question (or, in some cases, on 31 December of the previous year). The population is based on data from the most recent census adjusted by the components of population change produced since the last census, or based on population registers.

POPULATION PROJECTIONS

Population projections involve making population estimates or producing the most plausible figures for the years to come. Estimates are made using the latest available figures for the population on 1 January. In general, key assumptions are made with respect to mortality, fertility and migration by sex and by age, and ageing techniques are applied to the population pyramid from year to year.

(EUROSTAT) POPULATION SCENARIOS

Population projections carried out by Eurostat for all the Member States of the European Economic Area. These projections are comparable from country to country. Three scenarios are published: the variants HIGH and LOW are the two plausible extremes of demographic change, while the BASELINE scenario is the product of the "best hypotheses" which are comparable on an international level.

PROBABILITY OF DYING

The probability that a woman or man of a given exact age will die during the period in question. In the case of annual probabilities, the denominator is the size of the generation of women (or men) who reach age n during the year in question, and the numerator is the number of women (or men) from this generation who die between age n an age n+1. Some of the deaths occur during the year in question, while other deaths occur the following year. The annual probability of dying by age therefore differs from the annual death rate by age because in the latter case the denominator is the average population of this age and the numerator is the number of persons of this age who die during the year (the age used can be either the age reached during the year or the age at last birthday).

PROPORTION OF EVER-MARRIED PEOPLE BY GENERATION

The proportion of individuals from the same generation who married at least once in their life. The sum of the first marriage rates by age reached during the year calculated for n calendar years for a generation gives the proportion of persons in this generation having entered into a first marriage during this period of n years. In practice, the first marriage rates at advanced ages can be estimated using the rates for previous generations without waiting for the married life of the cohort to be completely over. This produces an estimate of the definitive proportion of ever-married people for this generation.

PROPORTION OF MARRIAGES DISSOLVED BY DIVORCE BY MARRIAGE COHORT

The sum of the divorce rates by duration of marriage calculated for n calendar years for a marriage cohort gives the proportion of marriages dissolved by divorce for this generation after n years. In practice, the divorce rates for advanced durations of marriage can be estimated using the rates for previous generations, without waiting for the married life of the cohort to be completely over. This produces an estimate of the definitive proportion of marriages, which will end in divorce for this generation.

STILLBIRTHS

The expulsion or extraction from the mother of a dead foetus after the time at which it would normally be presumed capable of independent extrauterine existence (commonly taken to be after 24 or 28 weeks of gestation). Infants who are born alive but die shortly after birth are excluded from this category.

TOTAL DIVORCE RATE

The mean number of divorces per marriage in a given year. It is not weighted according to the structure of marriage duration; in other words, the size of the different marriage cohorts is assumed to be the same. The total divorce rate is computed by adding the divorce rates by duration of marriage for the year in question. It does not separate out the different marriage cohorts and is not the divorce rate of any specific marriage cohort; rather, it is the divorce rate of a hypothetical generation subjected at each age to the current marriage conditions.

TOTAL FERTILITY RATE

The mean number of children that would be born alive to a woman during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years conforming to the fertility rates by age of a given year. It is therefore the completed fertility of a hypothetical generation, computed by adding the fertility rates by age for women in a given year (the number of women at each age is assumed to be the same). The total fertility rate is also used to indicate the replacement level fertility; in more developed countries, a rate of 2.1 is considered to be replacement level.

TOTAL FIRST MARRIAGE RATE

The mean number of first marriages per woman (or man) in a given year. The total first marriage rate is calculated by adding the first marriage rates by age of women (or men) for the year in question (the number of women (or men) at each age is assumed to be the same). It does not separate out the different generations and is not the first marriage rate of any specific generation; rather, it is the first marriage rate of a hypothetical generation subjected at each age to the current marriage conditions.

TOTAL POPULATION

This can be either the population on 1 January or the average population during the year. Unless otherwise stipulated, the population on 1 January is used.

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