démographique

Démographique is an adjective related to the science of demography and to the characteristics and evolution of human populations. It is used to describe data, phenomena or analyses concerning population size, structure and dynamics, including age and sex composition, geographic distribution, migration, fertility, mortality and the socio-economic profile of groups. The term underscores the statistical and analytical study of how populations change over time and space.

Etymology and scope: the word derives from the Greek demos, meaning people, and graphia, meaning writing or description. In French, démographie denotes the scientific field that investigates population dynamics, while démographique is the corresponding adjectival form applied to variables, indicators or trends such as dynamique démographique, structure démographique or données démographiques.

Data and methods: démographique analysis relies on multiple sources, including censuses, civil registries, surveys and administrative registers. It employs statistical tools and demographic methods such as age–sex pyramids, fertility and mortality rates, life tables and population projections to describe past trends and forecast future developments.

Applications: demographic analysis informs public policy, health planning, labor markets, housing and education, as well as marketing and social research. It helps assess risks and opportunities related to aging populations, urbanization, migration flows and regional development.

Concepts commonly associated: transition démographique (shift from high to low birth and death rates), vieillissement démographique, mobilité et migration, et répartition spatiale de la population. In practice, démographique is the adjective; the corresponding noun is démographie. In English, the terms are demographic and demography.