Demo facts & stats

Question 1

Independent demographers at IIASA project world population might peak near 9 billion around what year?

Accepted Answer

around 2070. Different research groups' population projections vary somewhat depending on their assumptions.

Question 2

In what year did John Graunt publish an early statistical analysis of mortality that helped found demography?

Accepted Answer

1662. Graunt's 'Bills of Mortality' analysis is considered one of the earliest works of statistical demography.

Question 3

Graunt's 1662 analysis found about what share of children in London died before age 16?

Accepted Answer

about one-third. Child mortality in 17th-century London was extremely high by modern standards.

Question 4

In what year did Belgian scholar Achille Guillard formally define the term 'demography'?

Accepted Answer

1855. Guillard's coinage gave a formal name to the study of population statistics.

Question 5

In what year is Richard Price credited with writing the first textbook on life expectancy tables?

Accepted Answer

1771. Life tables like Price's became essential tools for insurance and demographic analysis.

Question 6

In what year did Augustus De Morgan publish work applying probability to life expectancy?

Accepted Answer

1838. De Morgan's work built on earlier life-table research to refine demographic probability methods.

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