Population and manpower in the economic development of Peru
Fox, M. Louise
The population of Peru is estimated at 7,575,000 at the beginning of 1948. During the next decade the population of Peru is expected to grow by an average rate of annual increase of roughly 1.7 percent, reaching a total of 8,961,000 in 1957. If it is assumed that persons aged 0 - 14, and 65 and over (dependents) are relying upon those aged 15 - 64 (producers) for economic support, we find that in 1940 in Peru there were 87 dependents per 100 producers, whereas in Mexico there were 79 per 100 producers, and in the United Stated only 47 per 100 producers. The prospects for Peru in this respect, however, are rather favorable; by 1957 Peru may well have only 67 dependents per 100 producers due to anticipated changes in age composition of the population. This reduction in the dependency ratio and the potentially greater labor force participation on the part of the population should well contribute to the raising of the Peruvian per capita real income which stood at $89 in 1940. From comparisons with other agricultural countries with similar sex-age composition, it is evident that Peru could also increase the labor force participation of persons aged 15 - 19 and to some extent of all females. In addition to increasing the size of the labor force, there is considerable scope for Peru's increasing the productivity of the current working population of Peru through vocational training, modernization of methods, mechanization and some occupational redistribution.
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