Age is an important demographic variable and the primary basis of demographic classification in vital statistics. Figure shows the distribution of the household population by five-year age groups, from data collected in the 1996 NFHS, 2001 NDHS and 2006 NDHS. Children under 15 years of age account for nearly half of the total population. A comparison of the NDHS data over the last ten years shows little change in the age structure of the population. However, there is a slight reduction in case of children less than 5 years in 2006 (from 16 percent in 1996 to 13.
