The Population tool from Our World in Data is an interactive browser-based application designed to help users explore how changes in key demographic factors could influence future population trends in countries around the world during the 21st century. It addresses the question of how shifts in fertility rates, life expectancy, and migration rates can impact the size and age structure of national populations, providing a hands-on way to test alternative demographic scenarios beyond standard projections.
Users can select a country and adjust three main demographic inputs—fertility rates, life expectancy, and net migration rates—at three future time points: 2030, 2050, and 2100. The tool then displays the projected effects of these changes on population numbers and age structure through interactive visualizations. It is deliberately designed to be simple and accessible, running entirely in a web browser, and aims to foster understanding of demographic dynamics rather than to replace more complex models used by professional demographers.
The tool is intended for anyone interested in population change, including those seeking to understand the implications of different demographic assumptions. It supports educational and exploratory use by making it easy to visualize how varying demographic variables can shape future societies.
All visualizations, data, and articles produced by Our World in Data, including this tool, are open access under the Creative Commons BY license, allowing use, distribution, and reproduction with appropriate credit. The source code is made publicly available for transparency and educational reference under a custom license that requires permission for reuse. Some third-party data and materials within the tool may be subject to additional licensing terms, as indicated in the documentation.
Population tool sits in PulseGate's Other productivity category. It focuses on understanding and forecasting how demographic changes affect future population trends. It is built as a consumer product for demographers. Population tool costs nothing to use. Population tool is available on the web.
It is developed by Our World in Data, and the product first shipped in 2015. Development happens publicly on GitHub with 1.5k stars and 761 commits in the last 90 days. Key capabilities include population modeling, interactive simulation, and demographic inputs.
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