Population is the number of people who live in a particular area, such as a city, country, or the world. In biology, it can also mean a group of the same kind of organisms living in one place.
From Latin *populatio* “a people, a multitude,” from *populus* “people.” It moved from meaning the act of populating to the group of individuals itself.
We talk about *the population* as if it’s one big thing, but it’s really a shortcut for millions of separate lives. That trick—turning many into one—is powerful in statistics and politics, but it can also make real people feel invisible.
Demographic discussions of 'population' have long used binary sex categories and often treated men as the default economic actors and women primarily as reproducers. Policies based on population data have sometimes ignored or misrepresented gender diversity and women’s autonomy.
When describing populations, specify whether you mean sex, gender, or both, and avoid reducing people—especially women—to reproductive roles. Acknowledge nonbinary and transgender populations where relevant data exist.
Women demographers, public health experts, and activists have challenged reductive population policies and advocated for rights-based, gender-aware approaches.
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