Young males relate to young populations
Comparing Population aged 14 years or younger (thousands), per unit of GDP with Population ages 25-29, male, per unit of GDP across 211 countries, 2011–2025.
- Rank correlation
- +0.99
- Holding size constant
- +0.98
- Countries compared
- 211
- Period
- 2011–2025
What might link these
The strong correlation might be due to demographic transitions, where countries with larger youth populations also have more young males. However, a careful reader should consider education levels as a potential confounder. This relationship could be influenced by various socioeconomic factors.
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 might mislead by implying a direct link between these age groups, when in fact it could be driven by underlying demographic or economic trends.
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.