Orissa Review (Census Special) Census in Different Countries of the World A census is the procedure of systematically are very important, because they are a unique acquiring and recording information about the source of information on the size, composition, members of a given population. It is a regularly and characteristics of the population, even in the occurring and official count of a particular smallest geographical units such as statistical population. The term is used mostly in connection areas. with national population and housing censuses; ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL CENSUSES other common censuses include agriculture, business, and traffic. In the latter cases the Egypt elements of the ‘population’ are farms/businesses/ Censuses in Egypt are said to have been etc rather than people. The United Nations defines taken during the early Pharaonic period in 3340 the essential features of population and housing BC and in 3050 BC. censuses as “individual enumeration, universality within a defined territory, simultaneity and defined Israel periodicity”, and recommends that population Census is mentioned in the Bible: the censuses are taken at least every 10 years. The book of Numbers is named after the counting of term itself comes from Latin: during the Roman the Israelite population during the exodus from Republic the census was a list that kept track of Egypt. Later, it is reported that King David all adult males fit for military service.The census performed a census. can be contrasted with sampling in which China information is obtained only from a subset of a population. The world’s oldest surviving census data comes from China. According to The Canadian The UN recommendations also relate to Encyclopedia, a census was recorded in there methodological issues such as data collection over 4,000 years ago and counted some 16 methods, census geography, use of samples at million people.Another census comes from the various stages of population censuses, and data Han Dynasty, in what is perhaps China’s most processing methods. well-known ancient census. Taken in the fall of 2 Today, population censuses are AD, it is considered by scholars to be quite conducted in every country in the developed world accurate. By that time, there were 57.67 million and also in many developing countries. Censuses people registered in 12.36 million households December - 2010 25 Orissa Review (Census Special) living in China. A third recorded census dates back and other numeric information as well as non- to 144 AD, when only 49.73 million people living numeric data on quipus, strings from llama or in 9.94 million households were counted. Mass alpaca hair or cotton cords with numeric and other migrations into what is today southern China are values encoded by knots in a base-10 positional believed to be behind this massive demographic system. decline. Numerous other census data survives MODERN CENSUSES from Imperial China. Rome Afghanistan The word ‘census’ originates in ancient A partial and incomplete population Rome from the Latin word ‘censere’ (meaning census was taken in Afghanistan in 1980. A census ‘estimate’). The census played a crucial role in was planned for 2007. the administration of the Roman Empire, as it was Albania used to determine taxes (see Censor (ancient Rome)). With few interruptions, it was usually The latest population census was carried out every five years. It provided a register conducted in Albania in April 2001. Prior to that, of citizens and their property from which their a census was conducted in 1989 at the end of the duties and privileges could be listed. communist regime. Umayyad Caliphate Algeria In the Middle Ages, the Caliphate began Population and housing censuses have conducting regular censuses soon after its been carried out in Algeria in 1967, 1977, 1987, 1998, and 2008. The next census is in 2016. formation, beginning with the one ordered by the second Rashidun Caliph, Umar. Antigua and Barbuda Medieval Europe A Population and Housing Census was carried out in 2001. The most famous census in medieval Europe is the Domesday Book, undertaken in Argentina 1086 by William I of England so that he could National population census is carried out properly tax the land he had recently conquered. in Argentina roughly every ten years, the last one In 1183, a census was taken of the crusader being in 2001. Kingdom of Jerusalem, to ascertain the number Australia of men and amount of money that could possibly be raised against an invasion by Saladin, Sultan The Australian census is operated by the of Egypt and Syria. Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is currently conducted every five years, the last occurrence Inca Empire being on August 8, 2006. Past Australian censuses In the 15th century, the Inca Empire had were conducted in 1911, 1921, 1933, 1947, a unique way to record census information. The 1954, and 1961 - 2006 every five years. In 2006, Incas did not have any written language but for the first time, Australians were able to complete recorded information collected during censuses their census online. 26 December - 2010 Orissa Review (Census Special) Austria Bulgaria The Austrian census is run by the Statistik Bulgarian governors organized a national Austria. It is carried out every ten years, the last census soon after the liberation of the Bulgarian one being in 2001. lands. In 1881 a census took place in the Azerbaijan Principality, while in 1884 a census was organized in Eastern Rumelia. The first census covering the Population censuses have been taken in unified state took place in 1888. Azerbaijan under Russian/Soviet rule in 1897, 1926, 1937, 1939, 1959, 1970, 1979, and 1989. Since these first accounts, Bulgarian Beginning in 1991, two more censuses have been authorities had organized several population carried out in Azerbaijan: one in 1999 and one in censuses: 1892, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1920, 1926, 2009. 1934, 1946, 1956, 1965, 1975, 1985, 1992 and Bangladesh 2001. Population censuses were conducted by Canada the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) in The Canadian census is run by Statistics 1974, 1981, 1991 and 2001. Canada. The 1666 census of New France was Barbados conducted by French intendant Jean Talon, when Census on population size in Barbados he took a census to ascertain the number of people are conducted by the Barbados Statistical Service living in New France. The method and data was (BSS), the last major census conducted was later used when Canada was founded 280 years 2000, and one is scheduled for 2010. later. In 1871, Canada’s first formal census was conducted, which counted the population of Nova Benin Scotia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Population censuses have been taken in Quebec.Censuses in Canada are conducted in Benin in 1978, 1992 and 2002. five-year intervals. The last two censuses were Bolivia conducted in 2001 and 2006. Censuses taken in mid-decade (1976, 1986, 1996, etc.) are referred Population and housing censuses have to as quinquennial censuses. Others are referred been carried out in Bolivia in 1992 and 2001. to as decennial censuses. The first quinquennial Brazil census was conducted in 1956. For the 2006 The Brazilian census is carried out by the Census of Canada, respondents were able, for Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics the first time, to choose to complete their census every 10 years. The last one was in 2000. Earlier questionnaire online. Other options for answering censuses were taken in 1872 (the first), 1900, the questionnaire include postal mail (using a pre- 1920, 1941, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1991. paid envelope) and telephone (using 800 number). Brazil’s Demographic Census is one of the most Chile hierarchical collection of Census data in the world. Its hierarchies include: Brazil (Country), Major National population censuses are carried Regions, States, macro-regions, micro-regions, out in Chile every ten years by the INE (Instituto municipalities, districts, sub-districts, Nacional de Estadísticas, or National Statistics Neighbourhoods and census tracts. Institute), the last one being in 2002. December - 2010 27 Orissa Review (Census Special) China regularly in 1787, 1801, and 1834, and between Population censuses have been taken in 1840 and 1860, the censuses were taken every the Republic of China and the People’s Republic five years, and then every ten years until 1890. In of China in 1913, 1944, 1953, 1964, 1982, 1990 the 20th century, censuses were taken every five and 2000. These were the world’s biggest years from 1901 to 1921, and then every ten years censuses as they attempted to count every man, from 1930. The last traditional census was taken woman and child in the most populous nation in in 1970. the world. Some 6 million enumerators were A limited population census based on engaged in the 2000 census. The next national registers was taken in 1976. From 1981 and each population census started on August 15, 2010. year onwards information that corresponds to a Between National Population Censuses, 1% population and housing census is retrieved from National Population Sample Surveys were taken registers. Denmark was the first country in the in 1987, 1995, 2005 and 0.1% National world to conduct these censuses from Population Sample Surveys have been taken administrative registers. The most important annually since 2000. registers are the Population Register (Det Centrale Personregister), the Building and Dwelling Costa Rica Register and the Enterprise Register. The central Costa Rica carried out its 9th population statistical office, Statistics Denmark is responsible census in 2000. INEC, National Institute of for compiling these data. This information is Statistics and Census is in charge of conduct available online. these censuses. Past Costa Rican censuses were Egypt conducted in 1864, 1883, 1892, 1927, 1950, 1963, 1973 and 1984.