1.4.1 Demography
Demography is the statistical study of population: size, distribution, composition, and change (the two engines: natural change — births minus deaths; and migration). Legal demography's inputs: vital registration, census, and surveys.
1.4.2 Determinants of Population Change
| Determinant | Direction levers |
|---|---|
| Fertility | Marriage age, contraception access, child survival, women's education |
| Mortality | Health services, sanitation, epidemic law |
| Migration | Employment, borders, citizenship rules |
1.4.3 Consequences of Population Growth and Decline
• Growth: youth bulge (opportunity if employed, crisis if not), pressure on land and services, urbanization's pace.
• Decline: ageing, labour shortage, pension stress — the rich world's problem arriving on delay everywhere.
• Nepal's dual reality: a still-young population (the youth-share story) with fast-falling fertility (the ageing story queuing behind).