The graph illustrates trends in four age groups of children (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19 years) as a proportion of the UK’s young population from 1990 to 2001.
Overall, the most striking trend is the steady rise in the 10-14 age group, which overtook the other categories by the end of the period, while the 0-4 group showed the opposite pattern, declining after an early peak.
In 1990, the 0-4 and 15-19 groups had the highest shares, both around 25-26%, while the 10-14 group was lowest at approximately 23%. The 0-4 category climbed further to a peak of nearly 27% in 1993, before falling consistently to finish at just under 23% in 2001, the lowest of all groups by that point.
Meanwhile, the 10-14 age group rose almost continuously throughout the period, overtaking the other three groups from around 1998 onwards to reach roughly 26.5% by 2001, the highest final figure.
The 5-9 group fluctuated moderately, dipping slightly in the early 1990s before peaking near 26% around 1997, then declining again. The 15-19 group followed a U-shaped pattern, falling to about 23% in the mid-1990s before recovering to close near 25% by 2001.