Demography is the scientific study of characteristics and dynamics pertaining to the human population. The characteristics encompassed by this study include size, growth rate, density, vital statistics, and distribution of a specified population. Demography requires the study of specific information that may be gathered from a population census or vital statistic records. People who study and record this information are referred to as demographers. Demographers must know both how to scientifically obtain information and how to interpret it relatively.

Demography is widely used for various purposes and can encompass small, targeted populations or mass populations. Governments use demography for political observations, scientists use demography for research purposes, and businesses use demography for the purpose of advertising. In real estate, demography is employed to give clients an overview of specific neighborhoods.

Statistical concepts essential to demography include birth and death rate, infant mortality rate, fertility rate, and life expectancy. These concepts can be further broken down into more specific data, such as the ratio of men to women and the life expectancy of each gender. A census helps provide much of this information, in addition to vital statistic records. In some studies, the demography of an area is expanded to include education, income, the structure of the family unit, housing, race or ethnicity, and religion. The information gathered and studied for a demographic overview of a population depends on the party utilizing the information.

Advertising relies heavily on demography, since service and goods providers need specific information to reach the maximum number of potential customers in their target audience. Similarly, education relies on demography to help gather information to provide necessary governmental and local assistance. An example of large-scale demography is the collection of demographic information for an entire country. Such information might be used to determine a need for world assistance due to famine, disease, or other serious issues.

Demography is an interesting science used to create statistics. Sociology, which is the study of society and social behavior, is an example of an independent area of study in which demography is frequently used. Economics is also a specific area of study employing the science of demography. Anyone can review basic information about the demography of the United States by reviewing the most recent US census.