Demography is one of the hallmarks of geopolitics, as a country's demographic profile affects everything from its ability to man an army to its likelihood of having a budget deficit. The pyramid charts show the impact of China's "one child" policy, the end of German eugenics programs after World War II and the disastrous effects World War II and the Soviet collapse had upon Russia. In the case of the United States, the bulge in the 45-55 age range highlights the imminent retirement of the baby boomers, which will reduce the volume of government tax income while increasing the cost of programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
