The Geo-Diversity of the Colombian Family: Union Formality and Household Complexity

Anny Carolina Saavedra Morales, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Chia Liu, Center for Demographic Studies (Barcelona)

Similar to the vast majority of Latin American countries, Colombia experienced many socioeconomic and demographic transformations that gradually led to substantial changes in the size and dynamic of the family throughout the twentieth century. Demographic transformations were associated with three main facts: an unprecedented decline in fertility which led to an important reduction in household size and a considerable increase of informal unions. This work aims to identify from a set of indicators, which family dimensions characterized Colombian households and how these dimensions are scattered throughout the territory. To this end, we used a census microdata sample of 2005 (IPUMSi) and principal component analysis as a method of data reduction. Results show two dimensions closely related with the territory. One reflects the formality and informality related to the timing of union formation and the type of union and, the other determines whether household composition is simple or complex in structure.