[[File:Letzte Vokszählung Weltkarte.png|thumb|400px|
Most
recent census:
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A
census is the procedure of systematically
acquiring and recording information about the members of a given
population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a
particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with
national population and door to door censuses' (to be taken every
10 years according to
United Nations
recommendations), agriculture, and business censuses. The term
itself comes from
Latin: during the
Roman Republic the census was a list
which kept track of all adult males fit for military service.
The census can be contrasted with
sampling in which information is
obtained only from a subset of a population, sometimes as an
Intercensal estimate. Census
data is commonly used for research, business
marketing, and planning as well as a base for
sampling surveys. In some countries, census data is used to
apportion electoral representation (sometimes controversially so -
see e.g.
Utah v. Evans).
It is widely recognized that population and housing censuses are
vital for the planning of any society. Traditional censuses are,
however, becoming more costly. A rule of thumb for census costs in
developing countries has been $1 USD per enumerated person. More
realistic figures today are around $3 USD. These approximations
should be taken with great care since a variable number of
activities are included in different countries (e.g. enumerators
can either be hired or requested from civil servants). The cost in
developed countries is far higher. The cost for the 2000 census in
the U.S. was estimated to be $4.5 billion USD, more than $15 per
enumerated person. Alternative possibilities for retrieving data
are being investigated.
Nordic countries Denmark
, Finland
and Norway
have for
several years used administrative registers. Partial and sample
censuses are used in France
and Germany
.
Census and privacy
While the census provides a useful way of obtaining statistical
information about a population, such information can sometimes lead
to abuses, political or otherwise, made possible by the linking of
individuals' identities to anonymous census data. This
consideration is particularly important when individuals' census
responses are made available in
microdata form, but even
aggregate-level data can result in privacy breaches when dealing
with small areas and/or rare subpopulations.
For instance, when reporting data from a large city, it might be
appropriate to give the average income for black males aged between
50 and 60. However, doing this for a town that only has two black
males in this age group would be a breach of privacy: either of
those people, knowing their own income and the reported average,
could figure out the other person's income.
It is typical for census data to be processed in a way so as to
obscure individual information. Some censuses do this by
intentionally introducing small statistical errors to prevent the
identification of individuals in marginal populations
[691]; others swap variables for similar
respondents. Whatever measures have been taken to reduce the
privacy risk in census data, new technology in the form of better
electronic analysis of data poses increasing challenges to the
protection of sensitive individual information.
Ancient and medieval censuses
Censuses in Egypt are said to have
been taken during the early Pharaonic period in 3340 BC and in 3050
BC.
One of the earliest documented censuses was taken in 500-499 BC by
the
Persian Empire's military for
issuing land grants, and taxation purposes.
In
India
, censuses were conducted in the Mauryan Empire as described in Chanakya's (c. 350-283 BC)
Arthashastra, which prescribed the
collection of population statistics as a measure of state policy
for the purpose of taxation. It contains a detailed description of
methods of conducting population, economic and agricultural
censuses.
Rome conducted censuses to determine
taxes (see
Censor ). The word 'census' origins in
fact from ancient Rome, coming from the Latin word 'censere',
meaning ‘estimate’. The Roman census was the most developed of any
recorded in the ancient world and it played a crucial role in the
administration of the Roman Empire. The Roman census was carried
out every five years. It provided a register of citizens and their
property from which their duties and privileges could be
listed.
The
world's oldest extant census data comes from China
during the
Han Dynasty. Taken in the fall of
2 AD, it is considered by scholars to be quite accurate. At that
time there were 59.6 million living in Han China, the world's
largest population. The second oldest preserved census is also from
the Han, dating back to 140 AD, when only a few more than 48
million people were recorded. Mass migrations into what is today
southern China are believed to be behind this massive demographic
decline.
In the
Middle Ages, the
Caliphate began conducting regular censuses soon
after its formation, beginning with the one ordered by the second
Rashidun caliph,
Umar. The most famous census in medieval Europe
is the
Domesday Book, undertaken in
1086 by
William I of England so
that he could properly tax the land he had recently conquered.
In 1183, a
census was taken of the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem, to ascertain the
number of men and amount of money that could possibly be raised
against an invasion by Saladin, sultan of
Egypt
and Syria
.
A very interesting way to record census information was used in the
Inca Empire in the
Andean region from the 15th century until the
Spaniards conquered their land. The Incas
did not have any written language but recorded information
collected during censuses and other numeric information as well as
non-numeric data on
quipus, strings from
llama or
alpaca hair or
cotton cords with numeric and other values encoded by knots in a
base-10 positional system.
Modern censuses
Afghanistan
A partial
and incomplete population census was taken in Afghanistan
in 1980. A census was planned for
2007.
Albania
The latest
population census was conducted in Albania
in April
2001. Prior to that, a census was conducted in 1989 at the
end of the communist regime.
Algeria
Population
and housing censuses have been carried out in Algeria
in 1967,
1977, 1987, 1998, and 2008. The next census is in
2016.
Antigua and Barbuda
A Population & Housing Census was carried out in 2001.
Argentina
National population census are carried out in Argentina roughly
every ten years, the last one being in 2001.
More about
census, see: National Institute of Statistics and Census
of Argentina
.
Austria
The
Austrian
census is run by the Statistik
Austria. It is carried out every ten years, the last
one being in 2001.
Australia
The
Australian census is operated by the
Australian Bureau of
Statistics. It is currently conducted every five years, the
last occurrence being on August 8, 2006. Past Australian censuses
were conducted in 1911, 1921, 1933, 1947, 1954, and 1961 - 2006
every five years. In 2006, for the first time, Australians were
able to complete their census online.
Bangladesh
Population censuses were conducted by the
Bangladesh Bureau of
Statistics (BBS) in 1974, 1981, 1991 and 2001.
Barbados
Censuses on population size in Barbados are conducted by the
Barbados
Statistical Service (BSS), the last major census conducted was
2000, and one is scheduled for 2010.
Benin
Population censuses have been taken in
Benin
in 1978, 1992 and 2002.
Bolivia
Population and housing censuses have been
carried out in Bolivia
in 1992 and 2001.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
A census was taken by apostolic vicar the bishop
Pavao Dragicevic in 1743.
Brazil
The
Brazilian
census is carried out by IBGE,
the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, every
10 years. The last one was in 2000.
Earlier censuses were taken in 1872 (the first), 1900, 1920, 1941,
1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1991.
In Brazil, one of the most modern in the world Demographic Census.
For the collection, there are hierarchies of collections of data.
The hierarchies are: Brazil (Country), Major Regions, States,
Macro-regions, micro-regions, municipalities, districts,
sub-districts, Neighborhoods and census tracts.Depending on the
administrative hierarchy, some types of data are not published to
respect confidentiality.
For example:
1. The lower area of data collection is the census tract, with
approximately 300 households, and information is collected on age,
condition of the home, gender, income, among others.
2. Districts: information on race, color, religion, disability,
etc.
3.
Municipalities (cities): in
addition to the information already described, there is information
of GDP, industrial production, agricultural production, migration
between cities to study or work, to live migration, inflation,
employment rates, number of industries, the quantity of trade,
etc.Information is collected with
handheld
computers equipped with GPS receivers and digitized maps.
For more information, see the
Brazilian
Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
Bulgaria
Bulgarian
governors organized a national census soon after
the liberation of the Bulgarian lands. In 1881 a census took
place inthe Principality, while in 1884 a census was organized in
Eastern Rumelia. The first census
covering the unified state took place in 1888.
Since these first accounts Bulgarian authorities had organized
several population censuses: 1892, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1920, 1926,
1934, 1946, 1956, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1992 and 2001.
The data provided in the Bulgarian censuses from 1888 until
WW-II is regarded as highly reliable according
to the standards of the time. The Bulgarian leading statisticians
of the period were generally educated in Western universities and
participated vividly in the international cooperation, therefore
insisted and succeeded in introducing the best practices of the
time. The quality of the data provided of later censuses is a
matter of debate.
Canada
The
Canadian
census is run by Statistics Canada. The first census conducted in Canada
was conducted in 1666, by French intendant Jean
Talon, when he took a census to ascertain the number of people
living in New France. The
individual provinces conducted censuses, in the 19th century and
before, sometimes in conjunction with each other.
In 1871, Canada's
first formal census was conducted, which counted the population of
Nova
Scotia
, Ontario
, New
Brunswick
, and
Quebec
.
Censuses in Canada are conducted in five-year intervals. The last
two censuses were conducted in 2001 and 2006. Censuses taken in
mid-decade (1976, 1986, 1996, etc.) are referred to as
quinquennial censuses. Others are referred to
as
decennial censuses. The first
quinquennial census was conducted in 1956.
For the 2006 Census of Canada, respondents were able, for the first
time, to choose to complete their census questionnaire online.
Other options for answering the questionnaire include postal mail
(using a pre-paid envelope) and
telephone
(using an
800
number).
See also:
Canada 2001 Census,
Canada 2006 Census.
Alberta
In the
Province of Alberta,
Section 57 of its
Municipal Government Act (MGA) enables
municipalities to perform their own censuses on any given year. An
official municipal census must be conducted no earlier than
April 1 and no later than
June 30 of the same year, according to the MGA's
Determination of Population Regulation. If
municipalities choose to make their census count official, the new
population must be submitted to the
Ministry of
Municipal Affairs and Housing prior to
September 1 of the year the census was
performed. The latest census counts for Alberta's municipalities
are released in the Ministry's annual
Official Population List publication.
AltaPop (Alberta
Population) is a very useful website that builds upon the data
provided by the Province and Statistics Canada. Visit
AltaPop to compare
municipal and federal census results by municipality, to analyse
historic population trends by municipality, and to view detailed
annual population summaries either by size of municipality or
sorted alphabetically.
Chile
National
population census are carried out in Chile
every ten
years by the INE (National Statistics Office), the last one being
in 2002.
China
Population censuses have been taken in the
Republic of
China
and the People's Republic of China
in 1913, 1944, 1972, 1999 and 2004. These
were the world's biggest censuses as they attempted to count every
man, woman and child in the most populous nation in the world. Some
6 million enumerators were engaged in the 2000 census. The first
economic census was taken in 2004.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
carried out its 9th population census in 2000.
INEC,
National Institute of Statistics and
Census is in charge of conduct these census. Past Costa Rican
censuses were conducted in 1864, 1883, 1892, 1927, 1950, 1963, 1973
and 1984.
Czech Republic
Census in
the Czech
Republic
is carried
out every 10 years by the Czech
Statistical Office. The last census was taken in 2001.
Earlier censuses were taken in 1869, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1921,
1930, 1950, 1961, 1970, 1980 and 1991.
Denmark
The first
Danish census was
in 1700-1701, and contained statistical information about adult
men. Only about half of it still exists. A census of school
children was taken during the 1730s.
Following these early undertakings, the first census to attempt
completely covering all citizens (including women and children who
had previously been listed only as numbers) of
Denmark-Norway was taken in 1769. At that
point there were 797 584 citizens in the kingdom.
Georg Christian Oeder took a
statistical census in 1771 which covered Copenhagen
, Sjælland
, Møn
, and
Bornholm
.
After that, censuses followed somewhat regularly in 1787, 1801, and
1834, and between 1840 and 1860, the censuses were taken every five
years, and then every ten years until 1890. Special censuses for
Copenhagen were taken in 1885 and 1895.
In the 20th century, censuses were taken every five years from 1901
to 1921, and then every ten years from 1930. The last traditional
census was taken in 1970.
A limited population census based on registers was taken in 1976.
From 1981 and each year onwards information that corresponds to a
population and housing census is retrieved from registers. Denmark
was the first country in the world to conduct these censuses from
administrative registers. The most important registers are the
population register (
Det
Centrale Personregister), a Building and Dwelling Register and
an Enterprise Register. The central statistical office,
Statistics Denmark is responsible for
compiling these data. This information is available online in the
Statbank
Denmark.
It is possible to search a portion of the Danish censuses online at
Dansk Demografisk
Database, and also view scanned versions at
Arkivalier
Online.
Egypt
- The Statistical Department of the Ministry of Finance conducted
the first census in 1882, which considered as a preparatory step;
the first true population census was conducted in 1897. Thereafter,
censuses were conducted at ten-year intervals in 1907, 1917, 1927
and so on.
- In
2006 the Central
Agency For Public Mobilization and Statistics CAPMAS conducted the thirteenth census in the
Egyptian census series where the Egypt's population
hit 76.5 million inside and outside the country.[692]
Estonia
Population censuses have been taken in
Estonia
in 1881, 1897, 1922, 1934, 1959, 1970, 1979, 1989 and 2000. The
responsible institution is the
Statistics
Estonia.
Ethiopia
Three
censuses have been taken in Ethiopia
: 1984, 1994 and in 2007. The responsible
institution is the
Central Statistical
Agency.
Most of
the census in 2007 was taken in August, while the Somali Region
and the Afar Region
were not covered. The northern Afar region
is a remote, hot and arid area.
The eastern Somali region (Ogaden
) hosts a
large nomadic Somali population and is a conflict area where
Ethiopian regular forces are fighting against Ogaden National Liberation
Front (ONLF).
Finland
The first population census was taken in 1749 when Finland was a
part of Sweden. The most recent census took place on December 31,
2000.
France
Napoleon Bonaparte began the
census in France as a means of determining the number of potential
soldiers under his rule.
Today, the census in France is carried
out by INSEE. Since 2004, a partial
census is carried out every year, and the results published as
averages over 5 years.
Germany
The first systematic population on the European continent was taken
in 1719 in
Prussia (roughly corresponding to
today's northern Germany and western Poland).
The first large-scale census in the German Empire took place in
1895.
Attempts at
introducing a census in West Germany
sparked strong popular resentment in the 1980s
since many quite personal questions were asked. Some
campaigned for a boycott.
In the end the Constitutional Court
stopped the census in 1980 and 1983. The
last census was in 1987. Germany has since used
population samples in combination with
statistical methods, in place of a full census.
Greece
Census takes place every
10 years and is
carried out by the National Statistical Service of Greece. Last
census was in 2001.
Guatemala
Modern population censuses have been taken in Guatemala in 1930,
1950, 1964, 1973, 1981, 1994 and in 2002. Controversial cenuses
were in particular the ones in 1950 and 1964 (misclassification of
the Maya population) and the 1994 census (generally questioned).
About 14,000,000 people live in Guatemala as of July 2009.
Relaciones Geográficas of Mexico and Guatemala,
1577-1585.
On May 25, 1577, King Philip II of Spain ordered by royal cédula
the preparation of a general description of Spain's holdings in the
Indies. Instructions and a questionnaire, issued in 1577 by the
Office of the Cronista Mayor-Cosmógrafo, were distributed to local
officials in the Viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru to direct the
gathering of information. The questionnaire, composed of fifty
items, was designed to elicit basic information about the nature of
the land and the life of its peoples. The replies, known as
"relaciones geográficas," were written between 1579 and 1585 and
were returned to the Cronista Mayor-Cosmógrafo in Spain by the
Council of the Indies.
Hong Kong
Census takes place every
10 years and
by-census between two censuses by the
Census and Statistics
Department of
Hong Kong.
The last census was conducted in 2001 and the last by-census was
taken in 2006.
Hungary
Official decennial censuses have been taken in Hungary since 1870;
the latest one – in line with the recommendations of the United
Nations and the Statistical Office of the European Union – was
carried out in 2001.Starting from 1880 the Hungarian census system
was based on native language (the language spoken at home in the
early life of the person and at the time of the survey), vulgar
language (the most frequently used language in the family), and
other spoken languages.
Iceland
The first
Icelandic
census took place in 1703, following upon the first
Danish census of
1700–1701. Further censuses were carried out in 1801, 1845
and 1865. The 1703 exercise was the first ever census to cover all
inhabitants of an entire country, mentioning the name, age and
social position of each individual. All of the information still
exists, although some of the original documents have been
lost.
The setting up, in 1952, of the
National Registry
(
Þjóðskrá) eliminated the need for censuses. All those
born in Iceland, and all new residents, are automatically
registered. Individuals are identified in the registry by means of
a
national identification
number (the so-called
kennitala), a number composed of
the date of birth in the format ddmmyy and four additional digits,
the third of which is a control digit, and the last of which
indicates the century in which the person was born (9 for the 1900s
and 0 for the 2000s).
The National Registry doubles as an
electoral register. Likewise, all bank
accounts are linked to the national identification of the owner
(companies and institutions all have their own identification
numbers).
India
The
decennial census of India is the
primary source of information about the demographic characteristics
of the population of India,
which is the second most populous country in the
world.
The first census in India in modern times is dated 1901. It started
as far back as in 1860 and was finished in 1871. Starting from
there, a population census has been carried out every
10 years, the latest being the fourteenth in
February-March 2001.
The
census is carried out by the office of the Registrar
General and Census Commissioner, India, Delhi
an office
in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, under the
1948 Census of India Act. The act gives Central Government
many powers like to notify a date for Census, power to ask for the
services of any citizen for census work. The law makes it
compulsory for every citizen to answer the census questions
truthfully. The Act provides penalties for giving false answers or
not giving answers at all to the census questionnaire. One of the
most important provisions of law is the guarantee for the
maintenance of secrecy of the information collected at the census
of each individual. The census records are not open to inspection
and also not admissible in evidence.
The census happens in two phases: first, house listing and house
numbering operations; and second, the actual population enumeration
phase. The census is carried out by the canvassing method. In this
method, each and every household is visited and the information is
collected by specially trained enumerators.
9 February 2001, the first day of the 2001 census was celebrated as
the census day.
Indonesia
The first population census was done during the colonial era, 1930.
Before that, a non-overall census was already conducted in 1920.
After that census was done irregularly. The first census after
independence was 1961, followed by 1971. Since 1980 it is conducted
regularly every 10 years. In between, there is also economical
census (every 10 years, five years after population census) and
agricultural census (three years after population census).
Iran
Main article: Demographics
of Iran
The Statistical Center of Iran carries out nationwide population
and housing censuses every 10 years, the last of which occurred in
2006 (1385
AP). In the Islamic
Republic of Iran, based on Article 4 of the Act of the Statistical
Center of Iran (SCI), the census shall be implemented once every 10
years according to the Presidential decree. So far there have been
6 incidences of population census in Iran in the years 1956, 1966,
1976, 1986, 1996, and 2006; all taken in accordance with scientific
methods.
Ireland
The
census in Ireland
is carried out by the Central Statistics
Office. The census is carried out every five years, with
more detailed information collected in years ending in 1 and less
in the years ending in 6. The 1976 census was cancelled as a
cost-saving measure, but a supplementary census was held in 1979
after it became apparent that the 1970s had seen major demographic
changes. The census scheduled for 2001 was postponed until 2002 due
to
the
outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
The most recent census took place on 23 April 2006. According to
the 2006 form, "any person who fails or refuses to provide
information or who knowingly provides false information may be
subject to a fine of up to €25,000," under the Central Statistics
Act 1993. On the CSO website, instructions for non-
English speaking residents of Ireland were
available. They were mock copies of the census forms, with all
headings/questions etc. being translated into a particular
language. These were not to be filled out, but were only a guide on
how to fill out the English or Irish form. This census also asked
two new questions relating to ownership of PCs and
Internet connection.
Data from the
1911 Census for
the island of Ireland was made publicly available in 1961, and
are being published online. Subsequent census records will be made
publicly available 100 years after collection.
Questions relating to the ability to speak the
Irish Language are included in the census.
The figures obtained have been criticised as inflated by
cognitive biases, such as
response bias or
wishful thinking. The 2006 census included
an additional question on frequency of speaking Irish.
Israel
The first
census in the state of Israel
was held in
November 1948, six months after its creation, to establish the
population registry.
Subsequent censuses were conducted by the
Israel Central Bureau of
Statistics (ICBS) in 1961, 1972, 1983 and 1995. In these, 20%
of households completed a detailed survey and the remainder a
shorter questionaire. There is no legal requirement to hold a
census within a given interval; in practice, the ICBS requests and
the government decides. The next Census to be held was postponed
from 2006 to late 2008/early 2009. Only the detailed survey of 20%
will be carried out, as a cost-saving measure.
Italy
The
census in Italy
is carried
out by ISTAT every
10 years. The last four were in
1971, 1981, 1991, 2001.
Japan
Japan
collects
census information every five years. The figures show the
English translation of the 2005 census form. The form solicits
information on name, sex, relationship to head of household, year
and month of birth, marital status, nationality, number of members
of household, type and nature of dwelling, floor area of dwelling,
number of hours worked during the week prior to October 1,
employment status, name of employer and type of business, and kind
of work.
Jordan
The first population census after the independence in 1946 was
taken in 1952. It did only count the number of people in the
households and could therefore be considered only to be a housing
census. The first real complete census was taken in 1961. The
following censuses have been taken in 1979, 1994 and 2004. The
distribution of
Palestinians and
Jordanians within the population has been
a politically sensitive issue since the
Six-Day war in 1967.
Kenya
Census in
Kenya
was first held in 1948, when Kenya was still a
Colony administrated by the British. Since 1969 census has
been taken every ten years. The last census to date was in
2009.
Kosovo
Kosovo
,
administrated by the UN since 1999, declared
independence in 2008. Kosovo government is planning a
general population census for 2011.
Latvia
The most recent census in Latvia was in 2000. Before that, it was
about 6 censuses, most part of these previous censuses was
undertaken during Soviet (USSR) control.
The census in
Latvia
is carried
out by Centrālā
Statistikas Pārvalde (Central Statistical Bureau).
Lebanon
No census
has been conducted in Lebanon
since 1932. It indicated a population of
861,399 Lebanese. Various estimates of the population have been
taken since; in 1956 it was estimated a population of 1,411,416,
with 54% Christian and 44% Muslim. Conducting a census since then
has been complicated by various conflicts in the 1970s and
1980s.
Macedonia
The foundation of the Republic of Macedonia followed the break up
of the former Yugoslav Republic in 1991. The first population and
housing census was taken in the summer 1994. The second census was
taken in the autumn 2002. Both censuses were observed by
international experts due to the sensitive issue regarding the
ethnic distribution (Macedonian vs Albanian population).
Mauritius
Population and housing censuses for Mauritius was collected in
1972, 1983, and 2000; although respondents were asked to identify
their race/ethnic origin in the 1972 census, this question was
dropped from the following censuses because "the government felt
that it was a divisive question". The Statistics Act of 2000
directed that all official censuses be conducted by the Central
Statistics Office of Mauritius, as well as serve as the central
depository for this information.
Mexico
Population censuses are taken every 10th
year in Mexico
. The
latest have been in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000 (the 12th
census).After 1990 the Mexican census has been taken ever 5
years.
Mozambique
The first census was taken in 1980. The second in 1997. The third
was taken 1-14 August 2007.
Netherlands
The first
census in the
Netherlands
was
conducted in 1795, and the last in 1971. A law was produced
on April 22, 1879, ordering a census to be conducted every ten
years.
The census that was planned for 1981 was postponed and later
cancelled. A call for privacy was responsible for the cancellation
of any further census since 1991. Censuses are being conducted by
the
Centraal Bureau
voor de Statistiek (
Netherlands) since 1899. The censuses today are
mostly (population, fiscal) register based, combined with
surveying.
New Zealand
The
census in New
Zealand
is carried out by Statistics New Zealand (Tatauranga
Aotearoa), every five years. The last was on 7 March 2006.
For the 2006 Census of New Zealand, respondents could choose to
complete their census questionnaire online. See
New Zealand
Census of Population and Dwellings.
Nepal
Population censuses are taken every 10th
year in Nepal
.
The latest were in 1981, 1991 and 2001 (the 6th census.)
Nigeria
Population censuses have been taken in
Nigeria
during colonial time in
1866, 1871, 1896, 1901, 1911, 1921 and 1952. The censuses
covered only the southern part of the country except for the 1952
census which was country wide, and the censuses before 1921 were
based on administrative estimates rather than on an actual
enumeration.
Censuses during the independence were taken 1963, 1973, 1991 and
2006. The results from 1973 were highly disputed. The preliminary
results for 2006 indicates a population of 140,000,000. 700,000
enumerators were engaged in this operation.
Norway
The two first male censuses was conducted during
the
1660s and 1701. Later statistical censuses were held in 1769,
1815, 1835, 1845, and 1855. Norway’s first nominative, complete
census was taken in 1801, when Norway still was ruled by the
Oldenburg dynasty of
Denmark-Norway.
The scope of the census followed the de jure principle, so military
persons should be included as well as foreigners if they were
residents. The 1865, 1875 and 1900 censuses are digitized, and are
made
searchable on the internet. The census records
are made public available when 100 years have passed. Since 1900, a
census has been conducted every ten years. (However, the 1940
census was postponed to 1946.) Since 2001 the population census has
been
combined
with the housing statistics.
Oman
Censuses
have been taken in the Sultanate of Oman
in 1993 and 2003.
Pakistan
The first
Pakistan Census after the proclamation of
independence of Pakistan
was conducted in 1951. It was decreed that
censuses have to be carried out once in 10 years. The second census
was conducted in 1961.
However the third one was conducted in 1972
because of war with India. The
fourth census was held in 1981.The fifth census was conducted
delayed in
March 1998. The sixth census
of Pakistan is planned in October 2008.
Peru
The first
census in Peru
was
carried out in 1836. The eleventh and latest one was the
2007 Census and was carried out by
Instituto
Nacional de Estadística e Informática in August 2007.
Philippines
The
census of the Philippines
is enumerated every 5 years (beginning on 1960,
except in 2005 where it was moved to 2007 due to budgetary
constraints) and the results are used to allocate Congressional
seats (congressional apportionment) and government program
funding.
The census is performed by the
National Statistics Office. The
first official census in the Philippines was carried out by the
Spanish government pursuant to a royal decree calling for the
counting of persons living as of the midnight of December 31, 1877.
The first door-to-door census was conducted in 1903 to fulfill
Public Act 467 which was approved by the U.S. Congress in July
1902. The last national census was held in 2007 and the next census
is scheduled for 2010. For years between the censuses, the NSO
issues estimates made using surveys and statistical models.
Poland
The
census in Poland
is carried
out by GUS every circa 10 years. The
last one occurred in 2002 between May
21 and June 8. During the national census in 2002 the following
censuses were conducted at the same time: National Population and
Housing Census and National Agricultural Census.
Portugal
The first census in Portugal was carried out in 1864.
The census in
Portugal
is carried out by Instituto Nacional de
Estatística (INE) every 10
years. The last one occurred in 2001.
Romania
The first
census in Romania
was carried out in 1859. It is now carried
out every ten years by the
Institutul Naţional
de Statistică (INSSE). The last census was in 2002; the next
one will be in
2011.
Russia/USSR
In
Russia
, the first
census of the tax-payers was made in 1722-23 by the order of
Peter the Great (only men were
counted), and was ordered to be repeated every 20 years. The
only complete
Russian Empire
Census was carried out in 1897.
All-Union Population Censuses were
carried out in the USSR
(which
included RSFSR and the
other republics) in 1920 (urban only), 1926, 1937, 1939,
1959, 1970, 1979, and 1989. The first post-Soviet
Russian Census was carried out
in 2002. The next census is tentatively planned for 2010.
Currently, the census is the responsibility of the
Federal State Statistics
Service.
Saudi Arabia
Population censuses have been taken in Saudi Arabia in 1962/63
(incomplete), 1974 (complete but not reliable), 1992 and 2004. An
agriculture census was taken in 1999.
Serbia
The census takes place every 10 years. The last census was in 2002
(although having been planned for 2001), the previous one was in
1991 and the next is planned for 2011.
Slovenia
The first
census of modern Slovenia
was carried in 1991, after independence had been
declared. The Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
(
Statistični urad Republike Slovenije) conducted the
second census in 2002. Further censuses are planned for every 10
years.
South Africa
The first census of
South Africa was
taken in 1911. Several enumerations have occurred since then, with
the most recent two being carried out by
Statistics South Africa in 1996 and
2001.
Spain
The
census in Spain
is carried
out by INE every 10
years. Although there has been an old tradition and like
for making census in Spain, the oldest ones dating back to the 12th
century (by
Alfonso VII of the
Kingdom of Castile), the first modern
census was carried out in 1768 by
Conde
de Aranda, under the reign of
Carlos III. The last four were in 1971,
1981, 1991, 2001.
Sudan
Population censuses have been carried out in
Sudan
in 1955/56, 1973 (national), 1983 (national) and
1993 (only north). A census was conduced in April 2008. Some
areas were difficult to measure (e.g. Darfur).
Sweden
The first
population census in Sweden
was
carried out in 1749. The last population and housing census
was carried out in 1990. It is planned to conduct population and
housing censuses based on registers in the future.
Switzerland
In
Switzerland
, the Federal Population Census ( , , ) has
been carried out every 10 years starting in 1850. The census
was initiated by
Federal
Councillor Stefano Franscini,
who evaluated the data of the first census all by himself after
Parliament failed to provide the necessary funds. The census is now
being conducted by the
Swiss Federal Statistical
Office, which makes most results available on its
website.
Data being collected include population data (citizenship, place of
residence, place of birth, position in household, number of
children, religion, languages, education, profession, place of
work, etc.), household data (number of individuals living in the
household, etc.), accommodation data (surface area, amount of rent
paid, etc.) and building data (geo
coordinates, time of construction, number of
floors, etc.). Participation is compulsory and reached 99.87% of
the population in 2000.
Starting in 2010, the census will cease to be conducted through
written questionnaires distributed nationwide. Instead, data in
existing
population registers
will be used. That data will be supplemented with a biannual
questionnaire sample of 200,000 people as well as regular
microcensuses.
Syria
The first population census in Syria was taken by the French
Mandatory Regime in 1921-22. This is however not considered
reliable. Censuses during independence have been taken 1947, 1960
(the first comprehensive demographic investigation), 1970, 1976 (a
sample census), 1981, 1994 and 2004.
Taiwan
The first
census in Taiwan
was
conducted in 1905, while Taiwan was under Japanese
rule.
Turkey
The
Turkish
census is run by the Turkish Statistical
Institute. The first census in Turkey was
conducted in 1927. After 1935, it took place every 5 years
until 1990. Now, the census takes place every 10 years. The last
census was in 2000. It can be noted that the census enumeration
takes place on one single day in Turkey (in other countries it
takes 1–2 weeks). This required some 900,000 enumerators in 2000.
The 15th census based on improved geographical information systems
is planned for 2010.
A census was taken in the
Ottoman
Empire 1831-38 by
Sultan Mahmud
II (1808-1839) as a part of the reform movement
Tanzimat.
Christian and
Jewish men were counted but the female
population was excluded.
Uganda
The first censuses in
Uganda were taken 1911,
1921 and 1931. It was done in a rather primitive way.
Enumeration unit was 'huts' and not
individuals.More scientific censuses were taken 1948 and 1959 where
the enumeration unit was persons. The census was however divided
into two separate enumerations, one for Africans, and one for the
non-African population.The censuses during independence 1969, 1980,
1991 were taken jointly for all races. The censuses 1980 and 1991
included housing information and in addition a larger questionnaire
for a sample of the population. However, the questionnaires for the
1980 were lost and only provisional figures are available from this
census.
The census in 2002 involved some 50,000 enumerators and
supervisors. It covered several topics including: population and
housing; agriculture; and Micro- and small Enterprises administered
at individual/household level. The Preliminary Results were
published two weeks after the enumeration. The Final Results were
released in March2005, while the analytical findings and the
district level results were scheduled to be released in the second
quarter of 2006.
Ukraine
The first post-Soviet
Ukrainian
Census was carried out by
State Statistics
Committee of Ukraine in 2001, twelve years after the last
All-Union census in 1989.
United Kingdom
History of censuses in the UK
In the
7th century, Dál Riata (now western
Scotland
and northern County
Antrim in Northern
Ireland
) was the first territory in what is now the UK to
conduct a census, with what was called the "Tradition of the Men of
Alba" (Senchus fer n-Alban). The
Domesday Book of 1086 in England
contained listings of households but its coverage was not complete
and its intent was not the same as modern censuses.
Following the influence of
Malthus and
concerns stemming from his
An Essay On The Principle Of
Population the UK census as we know it today started in 1801.
This was championed by
John Rickman who
managed the first four up to 1831, partly to ascertain the number
of men able to fight in the
Napoleonic
wars. Rickman's 12 reasons - set out in 1798 and repeated in
Parliamentary debates - for conducting a UK census included the
following justifications:
- "the intimate knowledge of any country must form the rational
basis of legislation and diplomacy"
- "an industrious population is the basic power and resource of
any nation, and therefore its size needs to be known"
- "the number of men who were required for conscription to the
militia in different areas should reflect the area"s
population'
- "there were defence reasons for wanting to know the number of
seamen"
- "the need to plan the production of corn and thus to know the
number of people who had to be fed"
- "a census would indicate the Government's intention to promote
the public good" and
- "the life insurance industry would be stimulated by the
results."
The census has been conducted every ten years since 1801 and most
recently in 2001. The first four censuses (1801-1831) were mainly
headcounts and contained little personal information.
The 1841 Census, conducted by the General Register Office, was the
first to record the names of everyone in a household or
institution. However, their relationship to the head of the
household was not noted, although sometimes this can be inferred
from the occupation shown (e.g. servant). Those under the age of 15
had their proper ages listed, but for those who were older the ages
were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest five years,
although this rule was not strictly adhered to. Precise birthplaces
were not given - at best the birthplace can be narrowed down to the
county in which the person was living.
From 1851 onwards the census shows the exact age and relationship
to the head of household for each individual; the place of birth
was also listed, but with varying degrees of precision. Sometimes
those who were born abroad have the annotation B.S. or British
Subject.
The censuses are reasonably accurate. However, ages in particular
are frequently shown incorrectly, though often the difference is
only one year; in general the younger the individual the more
accurate the age shown. Birthplaces often vary from one census to
the next: a common error is to show the place where the census was
taken as the birthplace, but most of the variations in birthplace
can be accounted for by changes in geographical scale (for example,
the nearest town being shown instead of the precise village, or a
city being shown instead of the relevant suburb).
The censuses are also remarkably complete - though inevitably a
small percentage of the population was not recorded for one reason
or another, and in some cases the records are missing or damaged
(notably in 1861). Furthermore, all censuses of Ireland before 1901
have been lost or destroyed.
Because of
World War II, there was no
census in 1941. However, following the passage into law (on 5
September 1939) of the
National Registration Act a
population count was carried out on 29 September 1939, which was,
in effect, a census.
Censuses in the modern day
The census of England & Wales is undertaken for the government
by the
Office for
National Statistics (ONS) for policy and planning purposes, and
statistical information is made available in published reports and
on the ONS's website. The General Register Office for Scotland
(GROS)
[693] conducts its own census, while the census in
Northern Ireland is carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics
and Research Agency (NISRA). Public access to the census returns is
restricted under the terms of the 100-year rule; the most recent
returns made available to researchers are those of the 1911 Census
for England and Wales. The Scottish 1911 census will be available
in 2011.
The
2001 census was the
first year in which the government asked about religion.
Perhaps
encouraged by a hoax chain letter that started in New Zealand, 390,000 people entered their religion as
Jedi (See Jedi census phenomenon.)
All of the British censuses from 1841-1911 have been transcribed
and indexed and are available online, although GROS will not be
releasing the Scottish 1911 returns until 2011; there is a joint
project between the National Archives of Ireland and Library and
Archives Canada to digitize the 1901 and 1911 censuses for the
whole of Ireland, and it is possible this will be completed by the
end of 2007. The next UK census is planned for 2011.
United States
The
United States
Constitution mandates that a census be taken at least once
every ten years, and that the number of members of the
United States House of
Representatives from each state be apportioned accordingly.
Census statistics are also used for apportioning federal funding
for many social and economic programs.
The first
U.S. Census was conducted in 1790 by
Federal marshals.
Census takers went door to door and recorded the name of the head
of the household and the number of people in each household. Slaves
were enumerated, but only
three
out of five were counted for
apportionment.
American Indians,
being neither taxed nor considered during apportionment, were not
counted in the census.
The first census counted 3.9 million people,
less than half the population of New York City
in 2000; the 2000 census counted over 281 million
people. In 1902, Congress established the
Census Bureau as a
federal agency.
In recent times, there have been two forms of questionnaire, long
and short. The long form and its additional questions about matters
such as daily commute times, housing unit factors, etc. has been
replaced by the
American
Community Survey (ACS). Computer
algorithms (based on complex sampling rules)
determined which form was mailed to a given household, with one in
six receiving the long form. This was supplemented by census
workers going door to door to talk to those who failed to return
the forms. In addition to a simple count of residents, the Census
Bureau collects a variety of statistics, on topics ranging from
ethnicity to the presence of indoor
plumbing. While some critics claim that
census questions are an invasion of privacy, the data collected by
every question is either required to enforce some federal law (such
as the
Voting Rights Act) or to
administer some federal program. The
United States Congress gives approval
to every question asked on the census.
Despite a massive effort, the Census Bureau has never been able to
count every individual, leading to controversy about whether to use
statistical methods to supplement the numbers for some purposes, as
well as arguments over how to improve the actual head count.
The
Supreme Court
ruled that only an actual head count can be used to
apportion Congressional seats; however, cities and minority
representatives have complained that urban residents and minorities
are undercounted. In several cases, the Census Bureau has
recounted an area with disputed figures, provided the local
government paid for the time and effort.
The state of Utah
protested
the figures of the 2000 decennial census because it stood to gain a
seat in the House of Representatives, but North Carolina
gained it instead. Had the Census Bureau
been mandated to count the numbers of Utahns living overseas,
including many
Mormon missionaries, Utah
might have gained the seat.
To minimize the burden on individuals and to provide improved data,
the Bureau has prepared several alternate methods for gathering
economic, demographic, and social information, including the
American Community Survey
and
record linking of depersonalized
administrative records with other administrative records and Census
Bureau surveys.
By law (92 Stat. 915, Public Law 95-416, enacted on October 5,
1978), individual census records are sealed for 72 years. This
figure has remained unchanged since before the 1978 law, reflecting
an era when life expectancy was under 60 years, and thus attempts
to protect individuals' privacy by prohibiting the release of
personal information during individuals' lifetimes. The individual
census data most recently released to the public was the 1930
census, released in 2002. Aggregate census data are released when
available.
Local
In
addition to the decennial federal census, local censuses have also
been conducted, for example, in Massachusetts
, which conducted a statewide census every five
years until 1985. Additionally, each community in
Massachusetts takes a municipal census each year. Some states
conducted limited censuses for various purposes, and these are
typically located in state archives.
See also
Notes
References
- Bielenstein, Hans. "Wang Mang, the restoration of the Han
dynasty, and Later Han." In The Cambridge History of
China, vol. 1, eds. Denis Twitchett and John K. Fairbank,
223-90 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978).
- Effects of UK 'Jedi' hoax on 2001 UK census from
ONS.
- Kruger, Stephen, "The Decennial Census", 19 Western State Law
Review 1 (1981).
- U.S. Census Press Release on 1930 Census.
- U.S. Census Press Release on Soundex and WPA.
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