die  Gesamtbevölkerung

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ɡəˈzamtbəˌfœlkəʁʊŋ/

🌍 What does "die Gesamtbevölkerung" mean?

Die Gesamtbevölkerung refers to the total number of inhabitants of a specific geographical area at a particular point in time. This could be a country, region, city, or even the entire world. It's a term frequently used in statistics, demography, sociology, and politics.

The word is feminine, so it always takes the article die.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar in Detail: Die Gesamtbevölkerung

The noun "Gesamtbevölkerung" is feminine. It is usually only used in the singular form, as it already describes a totality.

Declension

Here is the declension in the singular:

Note: A plural form ("die Gesamtbevölkerungen") is grammatically possible but very rare. It would refer to the populations of several different areas (e.g., the total populations of all EU countries).

Example Sentences

1. Die Gesamtbevölkerung Deutschlands wächst nur langsam.
   (Germany's total population is growing only slowly.)
2. Statistiken zur Gesamtbevölkerung sind wichtig für die Zukunftsplanung.
   (Statistics on the total population are important for future planning.)
3. Man muss die Bedürfnisse der Gesamtbevölkerung berücksichtigen.
   (One must consider the needs of the entire population.)
4. Die Zählung der Gesamtbevölkerung nennt man Volkszählung.
   (The counting of the total population is called a census.)

🗣️ How to use "Gesamtbevölkerung"

"Gesamtbevölkerung" is mainly used in formal contexts, especially when dealing with numbers, data, and facts:

• Statistics & Demography: To state the number of inhabitants (e.g., "Die Gesamtbevölkerung Chinas beträgt über 1,4 Milliarden Menschen." - China's total population exceeds 1.4 billion people.).
• Social Sciences: To describe trends or characteristics of the entire population of a group or country (e.g., "Der Altersdurchschnitt der Gesamtbevölkerung steigt." - The average age of the total population is increasing.).
• Politics & Administration: As a basis for planning, resource allocation, or legislation (e.g., "Maßnahmen zum Schutz der Gesamtbevölkerung." - Measures to protect the entire population.).

It differs from the simpler word "Bevölkerung" (population) by explicitly emphasizing the sum or the whole. "Bevölkerung" can sometimes refer to parts of a population as well.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

For the article (die):

Think of the base word: It's die Bevölkerung (the population). Adding "Gesamt-" (total) doesn't change the gender: die Gesamtbevölkerung. Imagine the entire (gesamt) population is female (die)!

For the meaning:

Break down the word: Gesamt (total, entire) + Bevölkerung (population, people living somewhere). So: All the people together in an area.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

Similar words: Be careful with words like "Bevölkerungswachstum" (population growth - change in number) or "Bevölkerungsdichte" (population density - inhabitants per area).

😄 A Little Joke

Fragt der Statistiker seine Kollegin: "Wie schaffen wir es, die Gesamtbevölkerung bis morgen zu zählen?"
Antwortet sie: "Kein Problem, wir fragen einfach jeden, ob er schon gezählt wurde!" 😉

(A statistician asks his colleague: "How can we manage to count the total population by tomorrow?"
She replies: "No problem, we'll just ask everyone if they've already been counted!") 😉

📜 A Short Poem

Von Nord nach Süd, von Ost nach West,
zählt man die Menschen, hält sie fest.
Die Summe aller, groß und klein,
soll die Gesamtbevölkerung sein.
Ein Meer von Köpfen, Land an Land,
als Zahl auf Papier, uns wohlbekannt.

(From North to South, from East to West,
one counts the people, holds them fast.
The sum of all, both large and small,
shall be the total population.
A sea of heads, land upon land,
as a number on paper, well known to us.)

🧩 Little Riddle

Ich bin eine Zahl, doch zähl' nicht Geld,
bin alle Menschen dieser Welt,
ob Stadt, ob Land, ob Kontinent,
wer mich komplett beim Namen nennt?

(I am a number, but don't count money,
I am all the people of this world,
whether city, country, or continent,
who can name me completely?)

... Die Gesamtbevölkerung (The total population)

💡 More Interesting Facts

Word Composition:

The word is a compound noun, made up of:

• gesamt: (Adjective meaning 'whole', 'complete', 'total'.)
• Bevölkerung: (Noun derived from 'Volk' (people), meaning the inhabitants of an area.)

Demographic Significance: Recording and analyzing the Gesamtbevölkerung is crucial for understanding societal trends, for political decision-making, and for planning infrastructure and social services.