Female 55-59 growth rate relates to overall population growth
Comparing Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates — Population, annual growth rate with Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate across 166 countries, 2030–2030.
- Rank correlation
- +0.67
- Holding size constant
- +0.60
- Countries compared
- 166
- Period
- 2030–2030
What might link these
The relationship between the growth rate of females aged 55-59 and overall population growth might be linked through demographic trends, such as changes in fertility rates or mortality rates. A careful reader should consider that urbanization could be a confounder, as it affects both population distribution and growth patterns. The partial correlation controlling for population and GDP suggests a more nuanced relationship.
Why this is not proof of anything
This is a correlation across countries, not an experiment. It cannot show that either indicator causes the other, and both may simply follow a third thing. This correlation could mislead by implying a direct link between these specific demographics and overall population growth, when in fact other factors like healthcare improvements or migration patterns might be driving the relationship.
The second figure above repeats the measurement with national population and income held constant. It is the more conservative number: a relationship that largely disappears there was mostly telling you that larger, richer countries have more of most things.
How this was measured
Both indicators were ranked across every country reporting each, and the two rankings compared — ranks rather than raw values, because a handful of very large countries can otherwise manufacture a relationship on their own. The calculation is arithmetic over figures already published on this site; the commentary above is drafted from the two indicator names and the resulting coefficients.