1. 1 Incorporating housing statistics in the Demographic Yearbook data collection system Expert Group Meeting to Review the United Nations Demographic Yearbook System 10-14 November 2003 New York Demographic and Social Statistics Branch United Nations Statistics Division

2. 2 International data collection and dissemination of housing statistics Compendium of Housing Statistics 1971 Compendium of Housing Statistics 1972-74 Compendium of Housing Statistics 1975-77 Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics, 1983 Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics, 1995 Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics, 2002 Major source of data: Housing censuses

3. 3 Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics housing statistics social & economic characteristics land use health and health services transport, energy and communication environmental pollution infrastructure crime circulation of daily newspapers etc.

4. 4 Countries that provided data on housing topics to the Compendium of Housing Statistics and Compendium of Human Settlements Statistics List of housing topics 1971 1972 -74 1975 -77 198319952001 Living quarters 123124147679379 Rooms132133127688264 Tenure118122134716971 Water supply system and type of toilet 125130136747161 Electric lighting, kitchen & bath 130134137767149 Solid waste disposal ---15-17 Fuel used for cooking ----7247

5. 5 Main reason for decline in the reporting Human settlement questionnaire containing large number of topics and covering wide areas such as:  social & economic characteristics of the population; land use; health and health services; transport, energy and communication; and environmental pollution. Additional reason : Some countries may have stopped collecting data on topics such as availability of electricity and water;

6. 6 Basic housing topics collected by 131 countries in the 2000 round of censuses Building 52% Material of outer walls 56% Age 45% Location of living quarters 55% Living quarters - type of 60% Ownership - type of 40% Rooms - number of 84% Floor space 28% Water supply system 81% Toilet & sewerage facilities 86% Bathing facilities 56% Cooking facilities 57% Lighting and/or electricity 64% Solid waste disposal 36% Occupancy by >1 households 26% No. of occupants 55% Tenure 60% Rental and owner-occupied housing costs 27%

7. 7 Proposal 1: Incorporate the housing data collection and processing into the DYB system Benefits: consistency of reported housing and population data sharing of common technical notes and footnotes already in the Demographic Yearbook database enables building of internationally comparable historical series The DYB database allows for continuous updating of data Shares benefits from ongoing developments in the DYB, e.g. Data editing at the input stage; Prefilled quetionnaires; Possibility of online access

8. 8 Proposal 2: Reduce the list of housing topics to be collected Buildings, number of Living quarters, number of Household heads and living quarters Ownership of the housing unit Rooms, number of Water supply Toilet facilities Bathing facilitiesBathing facilities Cooking facilitiesCooking facilities Fuel used for cookingFuel used for cooking Type of lightingType of lighting Solid waste disposalSolid waste disposal TenureTenure

9. 9 In conclusion, the meeting is requested to: (i)assess the merit of incorporating housing statistics in the Demographic Yearbook data collection system; and (ii)comment on the appropriateness of continuing the collection of data on the proposed 13 housing statistics topics.