UNECE Types of censuses, enumeration methods and selected operational aspects: results of the ECE questionnaire Paolo Valente Social and Demographic Statistics Section UN Economic Commission for Europe - Statistical Division ECE Work Session on Population Censuses Geneva, November 2004

UNECE Summary of presentation Review of census methods used in 2000 round, also in relation with legal and administrative context. “Bonus slides” with preliminary general results on some topics not covered in the paper: - Statistical uses of census data - Publicity and information campaign - Census evaluation - Census costs by main budget lines - Main problems faced by countries in the 2000 round Conclusions

UNECE The 2000 round of population and housing censuses in the ECE region Censuses taken in 48 out of 55 countries in the ECE region In all countries the census was taken between 1999 and 2002, with a few exceptions: - Turkmenistan, Israel and Malta: Republic of Moldova: October 2004 Replies to the ECE questionnaire on censuses available for 44 countries (43 out of the 48 ECE countries where census was taken + Australia)

UNECE Types of censuses and main enumeration methods

UNECE Types of censuses and main enumeration methods A1 A2 B C

UNECE Legal context for the 2000 censuses: Existence of statistical legislation Census act existing in 38 countries (86%) Statistics act existing in 36 countries (82%) Data protection act existing in 33 countries (75%) No significant differences among different groups of countries, but… …in countries using registers, possible association with existence of Statistics acts and Data protection acts, rather then Census acts?

UNECE Administrative context: Existence of use of PIN (1/2)

UNECE Administrative context: Existence of use of PIN (2/2) PIN is not necessary to use registers for censuses (examples: Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland) Countries using registers for censuses and where PIN exist, use it extensively for statistical purposes Other countries make limited use of PIN for censuses and statistical surveys (because of restrictions?)

UNECE Administrative context: Existence of registers

UNECE Administrative context: Existence of registers No population register  No register-based census!

UNECE Administrative context: Use of registers for censuses…

UNECE Administrative context: … and use of censuses for registers

UNECE Administrative context: … and use of censuses for registers Confidentiality implications!

UNECE Statistical uses of census data

UNECE Publicity campaign (1/2) Publicity campaign carried out in 41 countries No publicity campaign in Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands… …but publicity campaign in some countries with register-based censuses (Finland and Norway)

UNECE Publicity campaign: Means of publicity

UNECE Publicity campaign: “Innovative approaches…” In Canada, no national TV, but: - free ads/inserts - sugar bags - milk cartoon - rail cars - calendar and agenda companies - mail inserts - plastic bags - ATMs, etc. And in Italy: SMS!!!

UNECE Publicity campaign (cont.)

UNECE Information campaign

UNECE Information campaign

UNECE Census evaluation

UNECE Census evaluation

UNECE Cost of censuses % distribution by main budget lines

UNECE Cost of censuses % distribution by main budget lines

UNECE Main problems and difficulties faced in the 2000 round of censuses

UNECE Conclusions In 2000 round, limited variability in census methodology adopted: most countries took traditional census Different methods have different implications on various phases of census In 2010, much higher variability is expected with regard to census methods (seminar, pres. on Plans for 2010)

UNECE Implications for 2010 recommendations (1/2)  New expanded section on census methodology (2000 recommendations focussed on content) Objective: not to “recommend” specific approaches, but rather to “inform” about possible options and help countries to evaluate them Review of different approaches, discussing: - necessary conditions - implications on various phases of census - advantages and disadvantages

UNECE Implications for 2010 recommendations (2/2) Possible areas to be covered: - Possible uses of registers - Possible uses of sample surveys - Other approaches (“rolling census”?) - Census evaluation (coverage and quality) - Publicity and information campaign - …