South America Population Pyramid 1978

South America
1978
Population: 230,063,921

Year

-5 -1   1978  +1 +5

Country

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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South America in 1978

The population of South America in 1978 was 230,063,921. A decade earlier, in 1968, the population was 182,977,218; it has grown by 25.7% since.

With a median age of 20.2 years, South America had a youth dependency ratio of 67.5 and an old-age dependency ratio of 7.2 per 100 people of working age. The broad-based, expansive shape of the pyramid points to high fertility and strong population growth.

Share of the population by age group, 1950–2100

Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.

Population
230,063,921
Median age
20.2
0-14 %
38.7%
65+ %
4.1%
Child dependency
67.5
Old-age dependency
7.2
Pyramid shape
Births per woman

The World Bank does not publish this indicator for regions or continents.

Life expectancy at birth

The World Bank does not publish this indicator for regions or continents.

People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children Older adults
20406080
19502100
Where immigrants come from (2024)

12,230,850 immigrants live in South America.

Venezuela6,268,352
Colombia1,317,258
Paraguay587,559
Bolivia561,026
Peru516,754
Where emigrants live (2024)

21,233,109 people born in South America live in other countries.

United States of America4,112,869
Spain3,246,905
Colombia2,951,953
Peru1,719,519
Argentina1,550,287
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Immigration statistics

Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.

What was the population of South America in 1978?
In 1978, South America's population was 230,063,921.
What is the median age in South America?
South America's median age is 20.2 years.
How many children and older people live in South America?
4.1% of South America's population is 65 or older, and 38.7% is under 15.
What shape is South America's population pyramid, and what does it mean?
South America has an expansive pyramid: a wide base of young cohorts reflecting high fertility and continued population growth.

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