Question -

Summarise the main features of Table 1 below and comment on differences between and within countries over time.

	1980	2020	2060	2100
Ghana
All (000s)	11,056	31,073	58,880	79,011
014y	47%	37%	27%	20%
1564y	50%	60%	65%	65%
65y+	3%	3%	8%	15%
Japan
All (000s)	117,817	126,476	98,326	74,959
014y	24%	12%	11%	12%
1564y	68%	59%	50%	51%
65y+	9%	28%	38%	37%
UK
All (000s)	56,209	67,886	75,060	78,053
014y	21%	18%	15%	15%
1564y	64%	64%	58%	56%
65y+	15%	19%	27%	30%

Guidance

The aim of Part A is to see if you can read data presented in a table and then briefly describe the key patterns and the size of any differences in the data.

Unpicking data like these is an essential first step towards understanding the relationships discussed in Chapter 1 of Personal Finance and the broader context, in this case the evolution of the total population of a country and its distribution across different age groups. This matters for policy planning that will impact on personal finance, for example around public services, social security such as pensions, and employment prospects.

You will find relevant material about how to read a table in Weeks 1 and 3 (especially Section 3 of Week 3), as well as in Chapter 1 of Personal Finance. You should compare changes over time in overall population by age group within each country as well as variations that exist between the three countries, using percentage changes and percentage point changes.

It is important to note that you are not being asked to suggest explanations for why these differences arise. You are only being asked to describe the main features that you can derive directly from the table. If you're in doubt, an explanation or interpretation would be anything that you can't find direct evidence of from the calculations you have made using the figures in the table.

For example, it may be tempting to associate some of the data with the wider social or political context, such as differences in health achievements, migration policies, or social norms with respect to fertility decisions, but the table is silent on these issues.

It is acceptable to use bullet points with concise but complete sentences in your answer. Don't forget to include a word count at the end of your answer