The proportion of juvenile population (below 15 years of age) is a very useful and significant parameter of HDI. The high proportion of young (juvenile) population shows that the country or the region is in the infancy stage of demographic transition.
It is interesting to note that while in the world as a whole 35.2 per cent of the total population is below 15 years, the corresponding figures for Africa, Asia and Europe are 44.7, 37.6 and 17 per cent, respectively.
In North America and South America, 22.5 per cent and 41.5 per cent of their populations are below 15 years of age. In Oceania, about 29 per cent of the population is in the younger age group.
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Apart from the continents, there are significant variations in the proportions of juvenile population in the developed and developing countries. The percentages of younger population in some of the developed and the developing countries have been displayed.
It may be observed that in Niger and Somalia, the proportion of population below 15 years is over 48 per cent, accounting for almost half of the population.
In Ethiopia and Angola, the corresponding percentage is slightly above 47 per cent. There are over a dozen African countries, especially in the central part and south of Sahara (Sahel), in which 45 per cent or above of the total population is in the younger age group.
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The juvenile population in the developed countries presents a completely different picture to that of the developing countries.
For example, in Italy, only 14 per cent of the population is below 15 years of age, while the corresponding figures for France, Germany and Japan are about 15 per cent each. In the UK, Canada and the USA, 18 to 21 per cent of their populations are juvenile.
In India, about one-third (32.0%) of its total population is below 15 years while the corresponding figures for Bangladesh and Pakistan are 35.0 and 40 per cent, respectively. In the last two decades, China has made tremendous progress in arresting the population growth.
Consequently, there is 24 per cent of the total population in the younger age group. The younger population in Argentina and Brazil constitutes about 27 and 28 per cent of their populations, respectively. In Australia and New Zealand, about 20 per cent of the population is in the younger age group.
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Thus, it is vividly clear from the above analysis that the dependency ratio of juvenile population in the developed countries is significantly low, ranging from 14 per cent in Italy to 21 per cent in Australia and the US. Contrary to this the dependency ratio of younger age group is upto 46 per cent in countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia, Niger, etc.
There are, however, wide variations in the proportion of younger population in the various developing countries. These regional variations are related with the fertility patterns of different countries. Countries that are characterized by high fertility rates have large proportions of younger population and vice versa.
This age group is economically unproductive and the most expensive, as it is to be provided with food, clothing, education and health care. Fortunately, the younger age group (below 15 years) is biologically non-reproductive and does not contribute to the increasing population.