The modern census

Abstract

The main objective of the census is to provide information on the population and its characteristics. This information is a key input used as a basis for a wide variety of planning decisions in a country and the quality of this information is paramount. It is also serves to underpin the national statistical system, with the census being used as a denominator for other statistics, such as the gross domestic product. However, with the fast-changing pace of modern life, in combination with increased mobility of the population to be counted, the traditional census which counted the resident population has had to adapt to account for this and also evaluate the resulting impact on the measurement of quality. Furthermore, as the national statistical system of a country develops, it is found that an increasing amount of information is collected about the country through registers and surveys. As such, many countries have been considering innovative ways of using such existing information to augment their censuses and improve their quality. This paper discusses the issues that arise and the role of the modern census within the national statistical system and how, ultimately, all of these concerns come down to compromising between different dimensions of quality.

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