Some Considerations for Demographic Assessment of Developing Countries

The need for a serious consideration of demographic phenomena and the global concern for a systematic and continuous assessment of population dynamics was stimulated by the growing momentum of population growth, especially in the developing countries. Awareness of the imperativeness of demographic assessment began to grow when efforts for social and economic development were systematically initiated in the developing countries. The process of demographic assessment requires availability of data about different aspects of population, in particular, size, age-sex distribution and geographical distribution not only at a given point of time but also at different points of time. Data are also needed on births and deaths in the population. The basic and most important concern is with assessing the base population along with its necessary characteristics, and with working out the basic demographic parameters of fertility and mortality. Collection of data, estimation of basic para~eters, and analytical efforts for an understanding of the role of socioeconomic and demographic variables are all a part of demographic assessment.