Jump to content

Census: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Line 114: Line 114:


==Modern implementation==
==Modern implementation==
{{main|List of national population and housing censuses}}

=== Afghanistan ===
A partial and incomplete population census was taken in [[Afghanistan]] in 1980. A census was planned for 2007.<ref>[http://afghanistan.unfpa.org/projects.html#rhs UNFPA Projects in Afghanistan].</ref>

===Albania===
The latest population census was conducted in [[Albania]] in April 2001.<ref>[http://www.instat.gov.al/repoba/english/default_english.htm Albania: 2001 census], official web site. Retrieved on 19 June 2009</ref><ref>[http://www.unece.org/stats/census/2000/files/Albania/Eng2001.pdf Albania: 2001 census], individual questionnaire used by enumerators. Retrieved on 19 June 2009</ref> 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 scheduled for 2016.

===Antigua and Barbuda===
A Population & Housing Census was carried out in 2001. The next census is scheduled for 2011.{{Update after|2012|3|17}}

===Argentina===
{{Main|National Institute of Statistics and Census of Argentina}}
National population census are carried out in Argentina roughly every ten years, the last one being performed on October 27, 2010.

===Australia===
{{Main|Census in Australia}}
The [[Australia]]n census is operated by the [[Australian Bureau of Statistics]]. It is currently conducted every five years, the last occurrence being on 9 August 2011. Past Australian censuses were conducted in 1911, 1921, 1933, 1947, 1954, and 1961 - 2011 every five years. In 2006, for the first time, Australians were able to complete their census online.

===Austria===
The [[Austria]]n census is run by the ''statistics of Austria''. It is carried out every ten years, the last one being 9 August 2011.

===Azerbaijan===
Population censuses have been taken in [[Azerbaijan]] under Russian/Soviet rule in 1897, 1926, 1937, 1939, 1959, 1970, 1979, and 1989. Beginning in 1991, two more census have been carried out in Azerbaijan: one in 1999 and one in 2009.<ref>[http://www.rferl.org/content/Population_Census_Gets_Under_Way_In_Azerbaijan/1608527.html Population Census Gets Under Way In Azerbaijan]. ''Radio Free Europe''. April 14, 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2010.</ref>

===Bangladesh===
Population censuses were conducted by the [[Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics]] (BBS) in 1974, 1981, 1991 and 2001. The 2011 Census was held from 15 to 19 March.

===Barbados===
Censuses on population sizes in Barbados are conducted by the Barbados Statistical Service (BSS). The last major census was conducted in 2010.

===Belgium===
The Belgium census is run by Statistics Belgium. The first census was carried out in 1846 then it is carried out every 10 years. The last census was taken in 2011. This is the first registered based census.

===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. The next is planned for 2012.

===Bosnia and Herzegovina===
Population censuses in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] were conducted in 1879, 1885, 1895, 1910, 1910, 1921, 1931, 1948, [[1953 population census in Bosnia and Herzegovina|1953]], 1961, 1971, 1981 and [[1991 population census in Bosnia and Herzegovina|1991]]. The [[2013 population census in Bosnia and Herzegovina|2013 Census]] will be organized in period between April 1–15, 2013.


===Botswana===
{{Main|Census in Botswana}}
Censuses in [[Botswana]] are run by the [[Central Statistics Office (Botswana)|Central Statistics Office]]. There have been twelve censuses in Botswana's history. The most recent was the [[2011 Botswana Population and Housing Census]], which occurred in August 2011.

===Brazil===
The [[Brazil]]ian census is carried out by the [[Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics]] every [[decennial|10 years]]. The last one was in 2010. Earlier censuses were taken in 1872 (the first), 1900, 1920, 1941, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1991, 2000 and 2010.

Brazil's Demographic Census is one of the most [[hierarchical]] collection of census data in the world. Its hierarchies include: 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 [[:pt:Ficheiro:Ibge em poá são paulo brasil.jpg|handheld computers]] equipped with GPS receivers and digitized maps.

{{Further|Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics}}(IBGE)

===Bulgaria===
[[Bulgaria]]n governors organized a national census soon after the liberation of the Bulgarian lands. In 1881 a census took place in
the 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, 2001 and 2011.

The data provided in the Bulgarian censuses from 1888 until [[World War II]] is regarded as highly reliable{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} 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{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}}. The religion question in the 2001 census didn't allow the unaffiliated Bulgarians to be counted as such.

===Canada===
{{Main|Census in Canada}}
The [[Canada|Canadian]] census is run by [[Statistics Canada]]. The [[1666 census of New France]] was conducted by [[France|French]] [[intendant of New France|intendant]] [[Jean Talon]], when he took a census to ascertain the number of people living in [[New France]]. The method and data was later used when Canada was founded 201 years later. The individual provinces (sometimes in conjunction with each other) conducted censuses in the 19th century and before. 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 census was conducted in 2011. 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 [[Toll-free telephone number|800 number]]).

In the [[Province of Alberta]], Section 57 of its Municipal Government Act (MGA)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qp.alberta.ca/574.cfm?page=m26.cfm&leg_type=Acts&isbncln=9780779745739 |title=Municipal Government Act (MGA) |publisher=Qp.alberta.ca |date=2006-12-28 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> enables municipalities to perform their own censuses on any given year.

===Chile===
National population censuses are carried out in [[Chile]] every ten years by the INE (''Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas,'' or National Statistics Institute), the last one being in 2012.

===China===
China's first censuses were irregular: the [[Republic of China]] held censuses in 1913 and 1944. Under [[Mao Zedong]], the [[People's Republic of China]] held its first in [[1952 Chinese Census|1952]], but the second in [[1963 Chinese Census|1963]] was secret and unacknowledged until the early 1980s.

The [[1982 Chinese Census]] was much more thorough and well-conducted than the first two, and similar censuses have been conducted decennially in 1990, 2000, and [[2010 Chinese Census|2010]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjgb/rkpcgb/index.htm |title=中华人民共和国国家统计局 >> 人口普查公报 |publisher=Stats.gov.cn |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}} {{zh icon}}</ref> These are the world's biggest censuses and over 6 million enumerators were engaged in the 2000{{citation needed|date=October 2011}} and 2010 censuses.

Between the national censuses, 1% National Population Sample Surveys were taken in 1987, 1995, and 2005; 0.1% National Population Sample Surveys have been taken annually since 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjdt/gjtjjdt/t20091221_402608717.htm |title=李克强主持召开人口普查领导小组会议时强调 把握我国基本国情 促进可持续发展 |publisher=Stats.gov.cn |date=2009-12-21 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> National agricultural, economic, and industrial censuses are also taken on a regular basis. The first economic census was taken in 2004 and the second 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/was40/gjtjj_en_detail.jsp?channelid=4920&record=1 |title=Communiqué on Major Data of the Second National Economic Census (No.1) |publisher=Stats.gov.cn |date=2009-12-25 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

===Costa Rica===
[[Costa Rica]] carried out its [[Costa Rica 2011 Census|tenth population census]] in 2011. [[National Institute of Statistics and Census of Costa Rica|INEC]], ''National Institute of Statistics and Census'' is in charge of conduct these censuses. Past Costa Rican censuses were conducted in 1864, 1883, 1892, 1927, 1950, 1963, 1973, 1984, and 2000.

===Croatia===
The census in [[Croatia]] is carried out every 10 years. The last census was taken in 2011 (from April 1 to April 28). The first census was in 1857 when what is now [[Croatia]] was part of [[Austrian Empire]].

===Czech Republic===
The census in the [[Czech Republic]] is carried out every 10 years by the Czech Statistical Office. The last census was taken in 2011. Earlier censuses were taken in 1869, 1880, 1890, 1900, 1910, 1921, 1930, 1950, 1961, 1970, 1980, 1991 and 2001.

The results of the last census are also available via the [http://ro.utia.cas.cz/census interactive model based software].

===Denmark===
{{Main|Census in Denmark}}
The first [[Denmark|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.<ref>[http://www.rhd.uit.no/census/ft1769.html Census 1769].</ref> 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]]), the Building and Dwelling Register and the Enterprise Register. The central statistical office, [[Statistics Denmark]] is responsible for compiling these data. This information is available online in the Statbank Denmark.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statbank.dk |title=Statbank Denmark |publisher=Statbank.dk |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

It is possible to search a portion of the Danish censuses online at the Dansk Demografisk Database,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ddd.dda.dk/ |title=Dansk Demografisk Database |publisher=Ddd.dda.dk |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> and also view scanned versions at Arkivalier Online.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkivalieronline.dk/ |title=Arkivalier Online |publisher=Arkivalieronline.dk |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

===Egypt===
{{Main|Census in 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.

===Estonia===
Population censuses have been taken in [[Estonia]] in 1881, 1897, 1922, 1934, 1959, 1970, 1979, 1989 and 2000,<ref>[http://www.stat.ee/26383 Censuses in Estonia].</ref> and is being taken in January 2012.<ref>[http://www.stat.ee/59344 RAHVALOENDUS KÄIVITUS HOOGSALT]. 2012-01-01.</ref> The responsible institution is the [[Statistics Estonia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat.ee/censuses |title=Statistics Estonia |publisher=Stat.ee |date=2010-07-19 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

===Ethiopia===
Three censuses have been taken in [[Ethiopia]]: 1984, 1994 and in 2007. The responsible institution is the [[Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)|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, 2010.

===France===
The census in [[France]] is carried out by [[INSEE]]. Since 2004, a partial census has been carried out every year, and the results published as averages over 5 years.

===Germany===
{{outdated|date=October 2012}}
{{Main|Census in 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 [[German census of 1895|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 of Germany|Constitutional Court]] stopped the census in 1980 and 1983. The last census was in 1987. Germany has since used [[Sampling (statistics)|population samples]] in combination with statistical methods, in place of a full census.

===Greece===
Census takes place every [[decennial|10 years]] and is carried out by the National Statistical Service of Greece.<ref>[http://www.statistics.gr Γενικη Γραμματεια Εσυε].</ref> The 2011 census ended on 24 May.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.apografi2011.gr/en/index.php |title=Census 2011 |publisher=Apografi2011.gr |date= |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref>

===Guatemala===
Modern population censuses have been taken in Guatemala in 1930, 1950, 1964, 1973, 1981, 1994 and in 2002. Controversial cenuses include those in 1950 and 1964 (misclassification of the Maya population) and 1994 (generally questioned). About 14,000,000 people live in Guatemala as of July 2009.

===Hong Kong===
{{Main|Census in Hong Kong}}
Census takes place every [[decennial|10 years]] and by-census between two censuses by the [[Census and Statistics Department]] of [[Government of Hong Kong|Hong Kong]]. The last census was conducted in 2001 and the next census would be taken in 2011.

===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 [[Iceland|Icelandic]] census took place in [[Icelandic census of 1703|1703]], following upon the first [[Denmark|Danish]] census of 1700–1701. Further censuses were carried out in 1801, 1845 and 1865. The 1703 exercise was the first census ever 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 of Iceland|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 {{mono|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 ===<!-- This section is linked from [[Parsi]] -->
{{Main|Demographics of India}}
The decennial census of [[India]] is the primary source of information about the demographic characteristics of the [[population of India]]. The 2011 census is one of the largest censuses in the history of mankind.<ref name="dnaindia.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_census-2011-kicks-off-today_1366020 |title=Census-2011 kicks off today - India - DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=2010-04-01 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

The first census in India in modern times was conducted in 1872. First regular census was started in 1881 by [[George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon|Lord Ripon]]. Since then, a population census has been carried out every [[decennial|10 years]]. The [[15th Indian national census|latest census]] commenced on 1 May 2010. It will create a [[National Population Register]] with photographs and fingerprints of every resident. All usual residents of India will also be provided with their Unique ID numbers and [[National Identity Card]]s.
The census is carried out by the office of the [[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of 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 is conducted in two phases: first, house listing and house numbering phase 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 enumerator. They collect data related to households e.g. number of members, water & electricity supply, ownership of land, vehicles, computers and other assets and services. In the second phase, total population is counted and statistics related to individuals are collected.<ref name="dnaindia.com"/>

=== 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). The last census was held on May 2010.

===Iran===
{{Main|Demographics of Iran}}

The Statistical Center of Iran carried out nationwide population and housing censuses every 10 years, the last of which occurred in 2006 (1385 [[Iranian calendar|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 six incidences of population census in Iran in the years 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, and 2006. Since 2008 census in Iran is carried out once every 5 years.

===Ireland===
{{Main|Census of Ireland 2011}}
The census in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] is carried out by the [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cso.ie/census/default.htm|title=CSO Census Home Page|accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref> 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 canceled 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irisheu-silc.net/census/Historical_Perspective.htm|title=Census: Historical perspective|publisher=CSO|accessdate=2008-10-09}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> The census scheduled for 2001 was postponed until 2002 due to [[2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis|the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cso.ie/census/Commentary.htm|title=Census 2002 Results |year=2002|publisher=CSO|accessdate=2008-10-09 |quote=The census originally planned for 29 April 2001 was postponed because of the Foot and Mouth disease situation pertaining at the time.}}</ref>

The 2006 census took place on 23 April 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/2006PreliminaryReport.pdf|title=Census 2006: Preliminary Report|date=July 2006|publisher=CSO|accessdate=2008-10-09|format=PDF}}</ref> 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 Language|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 Census of Ireland, 1901 and [[Census of Ireland, 1911|1911 Census of Ireland]] were made publicly available in 1961,<ref name="oldrecords">{{cite web|url=http://www.cso.ie/census/Access_to_Records.htm|title=Access to old records|publisher=CSO|accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref> and are published online.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/|title=Census of Ireland, Dublin 1911|publisher=National Archives of Ireland|accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref> Subsequent census records will be made publicly available 100 years after collection.<ref name="oldrecords"/> In June 2010, the 1901 census of Ireland became available on the Internet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insideireland.ie/index.cfm/section/news/ext/census001/category/1062 |title=1901 Census of Ireland goes online |publisher=Insideireland.ie |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

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 bias]]es, such as [[response bias]] or [[wishful thinking]]. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}} The 2006 census included an additional question on frequency of speaking Irish.

The 2011 Irish Census was conducted on 10 April 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cso.ie/census/default.htm|title=CSO Census Home Page|accessdate=2011-03-022}}</ref> There have also been two campaigns asking people to consider how they answer the question on religion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atheist.ie/2011/01/be-honest-about-religion-in-the-irish-census-on-sunday-10-april/ |title=Be Honest about Religion in the Irish Census on Sunday 10 April &#124; Atheist Ireland |publisher=Atheist.ie |date=2011-01-13 |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref><ref>[http://www.humanism.ie/website/campaigns/census-campaign ]{{dead link|date=February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Gavan Reilly |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/atheists-kick-off-%E2%80%98honest-to-godless%E2%80%99-census-campaign-2011-01/ |title=Atheists kick off ‘Honest to Godless’ census campaign · |publisher=Thejournal.ie |date= |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0329/1224293298294.html |title=Think carefully before answering census question on religion - The Irish Times - Tue, Mar 29, 2011 |publisher=The Irish Times |date=2011-03-29 |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref> As with the question relating to the Irish language, the accuracy of the figures for religious membership have been questioned.

===Israel===
The first census in the state of [[Israel]] was held in November 1948, six months after its creation, to establish the [[population registry]].<ref name="isr1">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbs.gov.il/mifkad/census2008_e.pdf|title=The 2008 Israel Integrated Census of Population and Housing: Basic conception and procedure|last=Kamen|first= Charles S.|date=February, 2005|publisher=Israel Central Bureau of Statistics|accessdate=2008-10-12 |format=PDF |page=1}}</ref> Subsequent censuses were conducted by the [[Israel Central Bureau of Statistics]] (ICBS) in 1961, 1972, 1983 and 1995.<ref name="isr1"/> In these, 20% of households completed a detailed survey and the remainder a shorter questionnaire.<ref name="isr1"/> There is no legal requirement to hold a census within a given interval; in practice, the ICBS requests and the government decides.<ref name="isr1"/> The next Census to be held was postponed from 2006 to late 2008/early 2009.<ref name="isr1"/> Only the detailed survey of 20% will be carried out, as a cost-saving measure.<ref name="isr1"/>

===Italy===
The census in [[Italy]] is carried out by [[Istituto Nazionale di Statistica|ISTAT]] every [[decennial|10 years]]. The last five were in 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011.

===Japan===
{{Main|Demographics of Japan}}
[[Japan]] collects census information every five years. The exercise is conducted by the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. October 1, 2010 is Population Census Day.<ref>{{cite web
| title = Population Census 2010
| publisher = Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
| url = http://www.stat.go.jp/data/kokusei/2010/special/english/index.htm
| year = 2010
}}</ref>

The census-form solicits information on name, gender, 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.

Regardless of nationality, all residents in Japan are required to complete the census form. Census form is only written in Japanese, but translation is available upon request in 27 different languages.<ref name="japan.001">[http://www.city.setagaya.tokyo.jp/toukei/gaikokugo/English.pdf ]{{dead link|date=November 2010}}</ref> Online census is only available in Japanese.

All information collected by census is confidential and protected by Statistics Act. Information provided by census can never be used for any investigation purposes such as immigration control, police investigation, tax collections and so on.<ref name="japan.001" /> After the census, all forms are destroyed and recycled.

In [[Tokyo]], people can choose to answer the census questions by filling out the paper form, or they can choose to answer census questions online. Unique ID and password are provided with the census form. The online census form is only available for residents of Tokyo. This is because a high concentration of people in Tokyo are living in [[apartment buildings]] or [[gated communities]], which restricts the access of census workers.
<gallery>
<!-- Deleted image removed: File:CensusSide1.png|Explanation of census form, side 1 -->
<!-- Deleted image removed: File:CensusSide2.png|Explanation of census form, side 2 -->
</gallery>

===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. Kenya is the first African country to produce a completely processed census within one year after census<ref>[http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=59420 Census kicks off]. [[Kenya Broadcasting Corporation]]. August 24, 2009.</ref>

===Kosovo===
[[Kosovo]], administrated by the [[United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo]] since 1999, declared independence in 2008. Kosovo government is planning a general population census for 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kosovotimes.net/flash-news/642-republic-of-kosovo-sets-the-date-for-its-first-census.html |title=Republic of Kosovo sets the date for its first census |publisher=Kosovotimes.net |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> The first census was conducted in the [[Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes]] in 1921.

===Latvia===
The most recent census in Latvia was in 2011. Before that, it was about 7 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.<ref name="AJECensus">al-Issawi, Omar (June 4, 2009). [http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2009/05/2009527115531294628.html Lebanon's Palestinian refugees]. [[Al Jazeera]].</ref> It indicated a population of 861,399 Lebanese.<ref>Rolland, John C. (2003). ''Lebanon: current issues and background." Nova Publishers. p. 65.</ref> 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,<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/lebanon/34.htm Lebanon]. Country studies.</ref> as well as by the sensitivity of religious issues.<ref name="AJECensus" />

===Malaysia===
The census in [[Malaysia]] is carried out every 10 years, like many nations, since 1960 (with the exception of the fourth census, which was carried out in 1991). The next census will be carried out from July 6 to August 22, 2010, the most recent was in 2000.

===Macedonia===
The foundation of the Republic of Macedonia followed the breakup 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 (''i.e.'' of Macedonian or Albanian origin).

===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".<ref>[http://www.statssa.gov.za/asc/WebsiteReports/Mauritius.pdf "2010 Round of Censuses: Learning from the 2000 Round Country position: Mauritius February 2006"] . Retrieved 3 April 2009.</ref> 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.<ref>[http://www.gov.mu/portal/site/cso/menuitem.922af73ab9a84a9e965c062ca0208a0c/ "Central Statistics Office: The Statistics Act 2000"].</ref>

===Mexico===
Population censuses are taken every 10th year in [[Mexico]]. The latest have been in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2005 and 2010. After 1990 the Mexican census has been taken every 5 years.

===Mozambique===
The first census was taken in 1980. The second in 1997. The third was taken August 1–14, 2007.

===Namibia===
In accordance with the ''Statistics Act #66 of 1976'', [[Namibia]] conducts a Population and Housing Census every ten years. After [[Independence of Namibia|independence]] the first one was carried out in 1991, further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011.<ref name=2001Census>{{cite web
|url=http://www.npc.gov.na/census/index.htm
|title=Census Summary Results
|publisher=National Planning Commission of Namibia
|accessdate=21 February 2012}}</ref> In Namibia, the ''de facto'' method is used.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201108080754.html
|title=Namibia: 2011 Census Officially Launched
|last=Kapitako
|first=Alvine
|date=8 August 2011
|work=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]
|publisher=via allafrica.com}}</ref> For enumeration purposes the country is demarcated into 4,042 ''enumeration areas''. These areas do not overlap with constituency boundaries in order to get reliable data for election purposes as well.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.npc.gov.na/census/index.htm
|title=Methodology
|publisher=National Planning Commission of Namibia
|accessdate=21 February 2012}}</ref>

===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]] 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]] {{Lang|mi|(Tatauranga Aotearoa)}}, on each year ending in a 6 or a 1 (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]]. The Census scheduled for 8 March 2011 was cancelled due to the [[February 2011 Christchurch earthquake]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Census cancelled due to quake|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/4703612/Census-cancelled-due-to-quake|publisher=Fairfax Media (Stuff.co.nz)|accessdate=25 February 2011}}</ref> It has been announced that the cancelled census will be held in 2013. It is not known whether the following census will be held in 2016, or whether the five-year time-frame will start anew.

===Nepal===
Population censuses are conducted every tenth year in [[Nepal]]. The first was held in 1911 and the most recent was held in 2011.

===Nigeria===
Population censuses have been taken in [[Nigeria]] during [[Colonialism|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 1962, 1963, 1973, 1991 and 2006. The results of the 1962 census were considered inaccurate enough that a new census was ordered on February 19, 1963. <ref>Larry Diamond, ''Class, Ethnicity, and Democracy in Nigeria: The Failure of the First Republic'' (Syracuse University Press, 1988) p136</ref> The results from 1973 and 2006 were highly disputed, but no recounts were taken. The preliminary results for 2006 indicates a population of 140&nbsp;million people. 700,000 enumerators were engaged in this operation.

===Norway===
The two first male censuses was conducted during the 1660s and 1701.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rhd.uit.no/nhdc/census.html#male |title=Documenting the Norwegian Censuses: The male censuses of the 1660s and 1701 |publisher=Rhd.uit.no |date=2004-11-10 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> 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 1801, 1865, 1900 and 1910 censuses are transcribed and made searchable on the internet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digitalarkivet.no/cgi-win/WebFront.exe?slag=vis&tekst=meldingar&spraak=e |title=The Digital Archives |publisher=Regional State Archives in Bergen |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> The census records are made publicly available when 100 years have passed. Since 1900, a census has been conducted every ten years. (However, the 1940 census was postponed to 1946, and the census after 1990 came in 2001.) Since 2001 the population census has been combined with the housing statistics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ssb.no/fob_en/ |title=Population and Housing Census 2001 |language={{no icon}} |publisher=Ssb.no |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> The 2001 questionnaire only asked about households and who was living in them, while no questionnaires will be mailed out for the 2011 census, since the administrative data on households is sufficient.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ssb.no/magasinet/blandet/art-2010-10-15-01.html|title=Datainnsamling: Folketellingen som forsvant?|date=15 October 2010|publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå|language=Norwegian|accessdate=22 January 2011}}</ref>

===Oman===
Censuses have been taken in the [[Sultanate of Oman]] in 1993 and 2003.

===Pakistan===
The first [[Pakistan]]i census after the proclamation of independence 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 [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]. The fourth census was held in 1981.The fifth census was delayed to March 1998. The sixth census of Pakistan was planned for October 2008.<ref>[http://www.dawn.com/2008/07/19/local15.htm Pakistan Census process to begin in October, 2008].</ref>
But due to some internal problems, the census was delayed till start of 2011 and its first phase was started in April allover the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewstribe.com/2011/04/16/sindh-approaches-centre-to-extend-first-phase-of-census/ |title=Sindh approaches Centre to extend first phase of Census |publisher=The News Tribe |date=2011-04-16 |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref>

===Peru===
{{Main|Peru Census}}
The first census in [[Peru]] was carried out in 1836. The 11th and latest one was the [[Peru 2007 Census|2007 Census]] and was carried out by [[Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática]] in August 2007.

===Philippines===
{{Main|Philippines census}}
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 Philippines' [[National Statistics Office (Philippines)|National Statistics Office]] (NSO). 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===
{{Main|Census in Poland}}
The census in [[Poland]] is carried out by [[GUS (Poland)|GUS]] every circa [[decennial|10 years]]. The [[Polish census of 2002|last one]] occurred in 2002 between May 21 and June 8. During the national census in 2003 the following censuses were conducted at the same time: National Population and Housing Census and National Agricultural Census.

===Portugal===
The first systematic census in Portugal was carried out in January 1, 1864.<ref>Instituto Nacional de Estatística (2009) - [http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=CENSOS&xpgid=censos-pt-mundo "Censos em Portugal"]</ref> The census in [[Portugal]] is carried out by [[Instituto Nacional de Estatística]] (INE) every [[decennial|10 years]]. The last census was taken in March 21, 2011.

===Romania===
{{Main|Demographic history of 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 2011.<ref>[http://www.suceava-news.ro/guvern/recensamantul_populatiei_va_avea_loc_in_2011/ The next census will take place in 2011].</ref>{{Update after|2012|3|17}}

===Russia and USSR===
In [[Russia]], the first census of the tax-payers was made in 1722-1723 by the order of [[Peter the Great]] (only men were counted), and was ordered to be repeated every twenty years. The only complete [[Russian Empire Census]] was carried out in 1897. All-Union Population Censuses were carried out in the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] (which included [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|RSFSR]] and the other republics) in 1920 (urban only), [[First All-Union Census of the Soviet Union|1926]], [[Soviet Census (1937)|1937]], 1939, 1959, 1970, 1979, and [[Soviet Census (1989)|1989]]. The first post-Soviet [[Russian Census (2002)|Russian Census]] was carried out in 2002, followed by the [[Russian Census (2010)|2010 Census]]. Currently, the census is the responsibility of the [[Goskomstat|Federal State Statistics Service]].

===Saudi Arabia===
Population censuses have been taken in Saudi Arabia in 1962/63 (incomplete), 1974 (complete but not reliable), 1992, 2004 and 2010. An agriculture census was taken in 1999.

===Serbia===
{{main|Census in Serbia}}
The census ordinarily takes place every 10 years. The last census was in 2011, the previous one was in 2002 (although having been planned for 2001) and the next is planned for 2021. The censuses before were organized in 1991, 1981, 1971, 1961, 1953 and 1948, during [[Communist Yugoslavia]]. During the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]], censuses were conducted in 1931 and 1921; the census in 1941 was never conducted due to the outbreak of WWII.

The independent [[Princedom of Serbia]], had conducted the first population census in 1834; the subsequent censuses were conducted in 1841, 1843, 1846, 1850, 1854, 1859, 1863 and 1866 and 1874. During the era [[Kingdom of Serbia]], six censuses were conducted starting on 1884 and the last one being in 1910. And then the frequent wars had prevented organizing any census prior to the Yugoslav one in 1921.

For the portions of Serbia ruled by [[Austria-Hungary]] until 1918, there were a total of five Austro-Hungarian censuses—1910, 1900, 1890, 1880 and 1869, immediately after the Dual Monarchy's constitution.{{When|date=March 2012}}

===Slovakia===
First modern census in the area of today's [[Slovakia]] was taken in 1869. Today, the census is conducted every 10 years by the Statistical Office of Slovak Republic. Last census was in May 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]] conducted the second census in 2002. Further censuses were carried out in 2011 and then every 10 years.<ref>http://www.stat.si/popis2011/eng/Default.aspx?lang=eng</ref>

===South Africa===
The first census of [[South Africa]] was taken in 1911. Several enumerations have occurred since then,<ref>[http://countrystudies.us/south-africa/44.htm South Africa - Population].</ref> with the most recent two being carried out by [[Statistics South Africa]] in 1996 and [[South African National Census of 2001|2001]]. A census is currently being undertaken from 10 October to 31 October 2011,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/census2011/ |title=Census 2011 - Home |publisher=Statssa.gov.za |date= |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref> with results expected to be released in October 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/census2011/faq.asp |title=Census 2011 |publisher=Statssa.gov.za |date= |accessdate=2012-02-19}}</ref>

===South Korea===
[[South Korea]] had a census in 2000.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}

===Spain===
The census in [[Spain]] is carried out by [[INE (Spain)|INE]] every [[decennial|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|Conde de Aranda]], under the reign of [[Charles III of Spain|Carlos III]]. The last four were in 1971, 1981, 1991, and 2001.

===Sri Lanka===
The census in [[Sri Lanka]] is carried out by the Department of Census and Statistics every [[decennial|10 years]], with the next one being planned for 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2010/05/16/new30.asp |title=Sri Lanka News |publisher=Sundayobserver.lk |date=2010-05-16 |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref> The 2011 one being the first post-war census in three decades. The census will cover all [[Grama Niladhari]] (GN) divisions of the country.The first scientific census in Sri Lanka was conducted on 27 March 1871. The last four were in 1963, 1971, 1981 and 2001 with a census estimate in 1989. The 2001 census was only carried out in 18 [[Districts of Sri Lanka|Districts]] due to the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]].

===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—namely [[Darfur]], [[Juba]], and [[Malakal]]—were difficult to measure.

===Sweden===
{{see also|Population registration in 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===
{{Main|Census in Switzerland}}
In [[Switzerland]], the ''Federal Population Census'' ({{lang-de|Eidgenössische Volkszählung}}, {{lang-fr|Recensement fédéral de la population}}, {{lang-it|Censimento federale della popolazione}}, {{lang-rm|Dumbraziun federala dal pievel}}) has been carried out every 10 years starting in 1850. The census was initiated by [[Swiss Federal Council|Federal Councillor]] [[Stefano Franscini]], who evaluated the data of the first census all by himself after Parliament failed to provide the necessary funds.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/infothek/erhebungen__quellen/blank/blank/vz/geschichte.html History of the Federal Population Census], Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved October 2007.</ref> The census is now being conducted by the [[Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Statistical Office]].

Data 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[[coordinate]]s, time of construction, number of floors, etc.). Participation is compulsory and reached 99.87% of the population in 2000.<ref>[http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/infothek/erhebungen__quellen/blank/blank/vz/uebersicht.html Overview of the Federal Population Census], Swiss Federal Statistical Office. Retrieved October 2007.</ref>

Since 2010, the population census has been carried out and analysed annually in a new format by the [[Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland)|Federal Statistical Office]] (FSO). In order to ease the burden on the population, the information is primarily drawn from population registers and supplemented by sample surveys. Only a small proportion of the population (about 5%) is surveyed in writing or by telephone. The first reference day for the new census was 31 December 2010.

===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 and the next would be taken at 2017.

===Taiwan===
The first census in [[Taiwan]] was conducted in 1905, while [[Taiwan under Japanese rule|Taiwan was under Japanese rule]].<ref>[http://www.ind.org.tw/LIT_13/20010312.pdf The Modernization of Taiwan].</ref>

===Turkey===
The [[Turkey|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 in 1911, 1921 and 1931. It was done in a rather primitive way. The [[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 March
2005, while the analytical findings and the district level results were scheduled to be released in the second quarter of 2006.<ref>[http://www.statssa.gov.za/asc/WebsiteReports/Uganda.pdf "Country submission for Uganda: The 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses"], Africa Symposium on the 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses (Cape Town, South Africa), 30 January - 2 February 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2009.</ref>

===Ukraine===
The first post-Soviet [[Ukrainian Census (2001)|Ukrainian Census]] was carried out by State Statistics Committee of Ukraine in 2001, 12 years after the last All-Union census in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/ |title=All-Ukrainian population census |publisher=Ukrcensus.gov.ua |date= |accessdate=2010-11-30}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
{{Main|Census in the United Kingdom}}

In the 7th century, [[Dál Riata]] was the first territory in what is now the UK to conduct a census. 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. The census has been conducted every ten years since 1801 and most recently in 2011.

The first four censuses (1801–1831) were mainly headcounts and contained little personal information. The 1841 Census, conducted by the [[General Register Office for England and Wales|General Register Office]], was the first to record the names of everyone in a household or institution. From 1851 onwards the census shows the stated age and relationship to the head of household for each individual. Because of [[World War II]], there was no census in 1941. The actual census dates were 1841-06-06, 1851-03-30, 1861-04-07, 1871-04-02, 1881-04-03, 1891-04-05, 1901-03-31, 1911-03-27.

The census of England & Wales is undertaken for the government by the [[Office for National Statistics]] (ONS). The [[General Register Office for Scotland]] (GROS) 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.

The most recent census, the [[United Kingdom Census 2011]] took place on 27 March 2011.<ref>[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/index.html National Statistics Website]</ref>

===United States===
{{Main|United States Census|2010 United States Census}}
The [[United States Constitution]] mandates that a census be taken every ten years in order to apportion the number of members of the [[United States House of Representatives]] among the several states. Census statistics are also used in order to apportion federal funding for many social and economic programs.

The first [[United States Census|U.S. Census]] was conducted in 1790 by [[United States Marshals Service|Federal marshals]]. During the 19th century and through the 1940 census, enumeration was accomplished through political districts. Each [[political ward|ward]] was responsible for producing a census.

From 1950 onward, census forms were mailed to every address on record with the [[United States Post Office]], including the Armed Services Postal System, in an effort to enhance completeness of the data collected. Beginning in 1970, it was made illegal to fail to return a completed census form. Computer technology was also introduced.

The 2000 census counted over 281 million people.

By law (92 Stat. 915, Public Law 95-416, enacted on October 5, 1978), individual census records are sealed for 72 years.<ref>[http://www.census.gov/history/www/legislation/010938.html U.S. Census Bureau | History | Legislation 1974 - 1983].</ref> The individual census data most recently released to the public was the 1940 census, released on April 2, 2012. Aggregate census data are released when available.

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. Some states conducted limited censuses for various purposes, and these are typically located in state archives.


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 14:28, 14 November 2012

Census taker visits a family living in a caravan, Netherlands 1925

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.[1][2] The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses include agriculture, business, and traffic censuses. In the latter cases the elements of the 'population' are farms, businesses, and so forth, rather than people. The United Nations defines the essential features of population and housing censuses as "individual enumeration, universality within a defined territory, simultaneity and defined periodicity", and recommends that population censuses be taken at least every 10 years. United Nations recommendations also cover census topics to be collected, official definitions, classifications and other useful information to coordinate international practice.[3][4]

The word is of Latin origin; during the Roman Republic, the census was a list that kept track of all adult males fit for military service. The modern census is essential to international comparisons of any kind of statistics and censuses collect data on many attributes of the population, not just how many people they are, although population estimates remain an important function of the census.

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 baseline for sampling surveys. Census counts are necessary to adjust samples to be representative of a population by weighting them as is common in opinion polling. Similarly, stratification requires knowledge of the relative sizes of different population strata which are derived from census enumerations. In some countries, census data are used to apportion electoral representation (sometimes controversially – e.g., Utah v. Evans).

Residence definitions

Individuals are normally counted within households and information is typically collected about the household structure and the housing. For this reason international documents refer to censuses of population and housing. Normally the census response is made by a household, indicating details of individuals resident there.

An important aspect of census enumerations is determining which individuals can be counted from which cannot be counted. Broadly, three definitions can be used: de facto residence; de jure residence; and, permanent residence. This is important to consider individuals who have multiple or temporary addresses. Every person should be identified uniquely as resident in one place but where they happen to be on census day, their de facto residence, may not be the best place to count them. Where an individual uses services may be more useful and this is at their usual, or de jure, residence. An individual may be represented at a permanent address, perhaps a family home for students or long term migrants.

It is necessary to have a precise definition of residence to decide whether visitors to a country should be included in the population count. This is becoming more important as students travel abroad for education for a period of several years. Other groups causing problems of enumeration are new born babies, refugees, people away on holiday, people moving home around census day, and people without a fixed address.

People having second homes because of working in another part of the country or retaining a holiday cottage are difficult to fix at a particular address sometimes causing double counting or houses being mistakenly identified as vacant. Another problem is where people use a different address at different times e.g. students living at their place of education in term time but returning to a family home during vacations or children whose parents have separated who effectively have two family homes. Census enumeration has always been based on finding people where they live as there is no systematic alternative - any list you could use to find people is derived from census activities in the first place. Recent UN guidelines provide recommendation on enumerating such complex households.[5]

Enumeration strategies

Historical censuses used crude enumeration assuming absolute accuracy. Modern approaches take into account the problems of overcount and undercount, and the coherence of census enumerations with other official sources of data.[6] This reflects a realist approach to measurement, acknowledging that under any definition of residence there is a true value of the population but this can never be measured with complete accuracy. An important aspect of the census process is to evaluate the quality of the data.[7]

Many countries use a post-enumeration survey to adjust the raw census counts.[8] This works in a similar manner to capture-recapture estimation for animal populations. In census circles this method is called dual system enumeration (DSE). A sample of households are visited by interviewers who record the details of the household as at census day. These data are then matched to census records and the number of people missed can be estimated by considering the number missed in the census or survey but counted in the other. This way counts can be adjusted for non-response varying between different demographic groups. An explanation using a fishing analogy can be found in Trout, Catfish and Roach[9] which won an award from the Royal Statistical Society for excellence in official statistics in 2011.

Triple system enumeration has been proposed as an improvement as it would allow evaluation of the statistical dependence of pairs of sources. However, as the matching process is the most difficult aspect of census estimation this has never been implemented for a national enumeration. It would also be difficult to identify three different sources that were sufficiently different to make the triple system effort worthwhile. The DSE approach has another weakness in that it assumes there is no person counted twice (over count). In de facto residence definitions this would not be a problem but in de jure definitions individuals risk being recorded on more than one form leading to double counting. A particular problem here are students who often have a term time and family address.

Several countries have used a system which is known as short form/long form.[10] This is a sampling strategy which randomly chooses a proportion of people to send a more detailed questionnaire to (the long form). Everyone receives the short form questions. Thereby more data is collected but not imposing a burden on the whole population. This also reduces the burden on the statistical office. Indeed in the UK all residents were required to fill in the whole form but only a 10% sample were coded and analysed in detail, until 2001.[11] New technology means that all data is now scanned and processed. Recently there has been controversy in Canada about the cessation of the long form with the head, Munir Sheikh resigning.[12]

The use of alternative enumeration strategies is increasing[13] but these are not so simple as many people assume. The Netherlands has been most advanced in adopting a census using administrative data. This allows a simulated census to be conducted by linking several different administrative databases at an agreed time. Data can be matched and an overall enumeration established accounting for where the different sources are discrepant. A validation survey is still conducted in a similar way to the post enumeration survey employed in a traditional census.

Other countries which have a population register use this as a basis for all the census statistics needed by users. This is most common amongst Nordic countries but requires a large number of different registers to be combined including population, housing, employment and education. These registers are then combined and brought up to the standard of a statistical register by comparing the data in different sources and ensuring the quality is sufficient for official statistics to be produced.[14]

A recent innovation is the French instigation of a rolling census programme with different regions enumerated each year such that the whole country is completely enumerated every 5 years.

In Europe, in connection with the 2010 census round, a large number of countries adopted alternative census methodologies, often based on the combination of data from registers, surveys and other sources.[15]

Technology

Censuses have evolved in their use of technology with the latest censuses, the 2010 round, using many new types of computing. In Brazil, handheld devices were used by enumerators to locate residences on the ground. In many countries, census returns could be made via the Internet as well as in paper form. DSE is facilitated by computer matching techniques which can be automated, such as propensity score matching. In the UK, all census formats are scanned and stored electronically before being destroyed, replacing the need for physical archives. The record linking to perform an administrative census would not be possible without large databases being stored on computer systems.

New technology is not without problems in its introduction. The US census had intended to use the handheld computers but cost escalated and this was abandoned, with the contract being sold to Brazil. Online response is a good idea but one of the functions of census is to make sure everyone is counted accurately. A system which allowed people to enter their address without verification would be open to abuse. Therefore households have to be verified on the ground, typically by an enumerator visit or post out. Paper forms are still necessary for those without access to Internet connections. It is also plausible that the hidden nature of an administrative census means that users are not engaged with the importance of contributing their data to official statistics.

Privacy

Although 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.[16] 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 because either of those persons, knowing his own income and the reported average, could determine the other man's income.

Typically, census data is processed to obscure such individual information. Some agencies do this by intentionally introducing small statistical errors to prevent the identification of individuals in marginal populations;[17] 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. This known as statistical disclosure control.

Another possibility is to present survey results by means of statistical models in the form of a multivariate distribution mixture.[18] The statistical information in the form of conditional distributions (histograms) can be derived interactively from the estimated mixture model without any further access to the original database. As the final product does not contain any protected microdata, the model based interactive software can be distributed without any confidentiality concerns.

Another method is simply to release no data at all, except very large scale data directly to the central government. Different release strategies between government have led to an international project (IPUMS) to co-ordinate access to microdata and corresponding metadata. Such projects also promote standardising metadata by projects such as SDMX so that best use can be made of the minimal data available.

Historical examples

Egypt

Censuses in Egypt are said to have been taken during the early Pharaonic period in 3340 BCE and in 3056 BCE.[citation needed]

Ancient Greece

There are several account of ancient Greek and Mesopotamian city states carrying out censuses.[19] The question of which is first is clouded by very different approaches: counting only men, counting a pile of rocks etc. but such censuses took place 1600BCE and earlier.

Ancient Israel

Censuses are mentioned in the Bible. God commands a flat tax to be paid with the census in Exodus 30:11–16 for the upkeep of the Tabernacle. The Book of Numbers is named after the counting of the Israelite population (in Numbers 1–4) according to the house of the Fathers after the exodus from Egypt. A second census was taken while the Israelite were camped in the plains of Moab, in Numbers 26.

King David performed a census that produced disastrous results (in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21). God used Satan to try King David (2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1), who then numbered the people out of pride.[20] His son, King Solomon, had all of the foreigners in Israel counted in 2 Chronicles 2:17.

The Gospel of Luke records Jesus being born during a census in Luke 2.

China

In 2 CE during the Han Dynasty, China held a census still considered by scholars to be quite accurate[21][22] It found 57.67 million people registered in 12.36 million households.[23][24] Another census dates to AD 144, when 49.73 million people were recorded living in 9.94 million households.

India

The oldest recorded census in India is thought to have occurred around 300 BCE during the reign of the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya under the leadership of Kautilya or Chanakya.[25]

Rome

See also: censor (ancient Rome)

The word "census" originated in ancient Rome from the Latin word censere ("to estimate"). The census played a crucial role in the administration of the Roman Empire, as it was used to determine taxes. With few interruptions, it was usually carried out every five years.[26] It provided a register of citizens and their property from which their duties and privileges could be listed. It is said to have been instituted by the Roman king Servius Tullius in the 6th century BC,[27] at which time the number of arms-bearing citizens was counted at around 80,000.[28]

Rashidun and Umayyad Caliphates

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.[29]

Medieval Europe

The Domesday Book was undertaken in 1086 by William I of England so that he could properly tax the land he had recently conquered in medieval Europe. 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.

Inca Empire

In the 15th century, the Inca Empire had a unique way to record census information. 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.

Spanish empire

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, 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 in Spain by the Council of the Indies.

Modern implementation

Main article: List of national population and housing censuses

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Shepard, Jon (2003). Sociology and You. Ohio: Glencoe McGraw-Hill. pp. A–22. ISBN 0-07-828576-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Sullivan, Arthur (2003). Economics: Principles in action. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458: Pearson Prentice Hall. p. 334. ISBN 0-13-063085-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: location (link)
  3. ^ United Nations (2008). Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. Statistical Papers: Series M No. 67/Rev.2. p8. ISBN 978-92-1-161505-0.
  4. ^ http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/stats/publications/CES_2010_Census_Recommendations_English.pdf
  5. ^ http://www.unece.org/emerging_forms_families_households.html
  6. ^ "Census Quality Evaluation: considerations from an international perspective". Unstats.un.org. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  7. ^ Leo Breiman (1994). "The 1991 Census Adjustment: Undercount or Bad Data?", Statistical Science 9 (4), pp.458-475.
  8. ^ World Population and Housing Census Programme (2010) Post Enumeration Surveys: Operational guidelines, United Nations Secretariat, Dept of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division, Tech Report
  9. ^ Benton, P. Trout, Catfish and Roach: The beginner’s guide to census population estimates, Office for National Statistics, UK
  10. ^ Other methods of census taking, Office for National Statistics, UK
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ The Canadian Press (2010-07-21). "Text of Munir Sheikh's resignation statement". 680News. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  13. ^ "[INED] Population and Societies". Ined.fr. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  14. ^ http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/stats/publications/Register_based_statistics_in_Nordic_countries.pdf
  15. ^ http://www1.unece.org/stat/platform/display/censuses/2010+Population+Census+Round
  16. ^ The Census and Privacy.
  17. ^ "Managing Confidentiality and Learning about SEIFA". Abs.gov.au. 2006-04-18. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  18. ^ Grim J. (2010). "Statistical Model of the 2001 Czech Census for Interactive Presentation". Journal of Official Statistics, vol. 26, no. 4. pp. 673–694. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Missiakoulis, Spyros (2010). "Cecrops, King of Athens: the First (?) Recorded Population Census in History". International Statistical Review. 78 (3): 413–418. doi:10.1111/j.1751-5823.2010.00124.x.
  20. ^ "Why was God so angry at David for taking the census?". Gotquestions.org. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  21. ^ Jeffrey Hays. "China - Facts and Details: Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220)".
  22. ^ Twitchett, D., Loewe, M., and Fairbank, J.K. Cambridge History of China: The Ch'in and Han Empires 221 B.C.-A.D. 220. Cambridge University Press (1986), p. 240.
  23. ^ Nishijima (1986), 595–596. [full citation needed]
  24. ^ H. Yoon (1985). "An early Chinese idea of a dynamic environmental cycle", GeoJournal 10 (2), 211-212.
  25. ^ "Census Commissioner of India - Historical Background". Govt. of India. The records of census conducted appears from 300 BCE.
  26. ^ Scheidel, Walter (2009) Rome and China: comparative perspectives on ancient world empires. Oxford University Press, p. 28.
  27. ^ Livy Ab urbe condita 1.42
  28. ^ Livy Ab urbe condita 1.42, citing Fabius Pictor
  29. ^ al-Qādī1, Wadād (July 2008). "Population Census and Land Surveys under the Umayyads (41–132/661–750)". Der Islam. 83 (2): 341–416. doi:10.1515/ISLAM.2006.015.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: postscript (link)

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Census.

Template:Link GA

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Census&oldid=522995705"