Final answer:
In countries like Germany with smaller numbers of individuals in early ages compared to reproductive and senior cohorts, population decline in the long term is expected.
Step-by-step explanation:
The analysis of the number of individuals within each age cohort, also known as population age structure, can reveal where the population is heading. In countries like Germany, where the number of individuals in early ages is smaller compared to the number of reproductive and senior cohorts, population decline in the long term would be expected to happen. This is because with fewer young individuals, there will be fewer individuals entering reproductive age in the future, leading to a decrease in the overall population.