The line graph illustrates changes in the proportions of four childhood age groups (0-4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-19 years) within the UK’s young population between 1990 and 2001.
Overall, the clearest trend was the sustained expansion of the 10-14 bracket, which climbed almost without interruption to become the largest group by 2001, while the 0-4 bracket moved in the opposite direction, contracting sharply after an initial rise. The two remaining groups fluctuated rather than trending consistently.
In 1990, the 0-4 and 15-19 groups accounted for the largest shares, at around 26% and 25.5% respectively, while the 10-14 group was smallest, at approximately 23%. The 0-4 figure rose further still, peaking at nearly 27% in 1993, before falling steadily thereafter to finish at just 22.5% in 2001 – by far the lowest figure among the four groups.
The 10-14 group followed the reverse path: expanding gradually year on year, it overtook the other three lines around 1997 and ended the period at roughly 26.5%, the highest final value overall.
Between these two extremes, the 5-9 group dipped slightly in 1991-92, climbed to a high of about 26% by 1997, then eased back to finish near 24.5%. The 15-19 group fell to its lowest point of 23% in 1994, before recovering gradually to close at nearly 25%, ending almost level with the 5-9 group.