Census Collecting Information on Population

When Studying a population, demographers usually want to find the answers to questions such as these: How many? Where can this information be found How is this population changing? How quickly is this population changing? What re the characteristics and composition of this population? How is this population distributed? What implications do these factors have for the future?

A Census Small regional censuses have been conducted since early Roman times (about 500 BCE). The Doomsday Book, which was compiled in England in 1066, is one of the best-known modern tallies of population. Early censuses usually recorded the number of people, the property they owned, and perhaps their agricultural harvest. Rulers commissioned these censuses to find out how much their citizens could pay in taxes. The word census actually comes from a Latin work meaning “to tax”. In 1749 Sweden conducted the first national census. The United States did the same in 1790, but instead of relying on records collected by other organizations, such as churches, the government hired enumerators – people who travelled door to door to count everybody.

The Problem of Inaccuracy in Census Material Although census officials in every country try to ensure that their data are as accurate as possible, they all readily admit that their numbers are not exact. MDCs, such as Canada and the United States, usually undercount their populations by as much as 2 to 3 per cent. Many LDCs simply do not have the money, trained personnel, or organization to tackle the huge task of census taking. All efforts are worthwhile, but some censuses are less accurate than others.

Causes of Inaccuracies Homelessness. Without a permanent address, homeless citizens cannot easily receive a census questionnaire, either through the mail or by home delivery. Some homeless people are counted at shelters and soup kitchens, but many are missed. Fear of entering slums and crime-ridden areas. Some enumerators ail to visit their assigned neighbourhoods. Isolation. Some people live so far from transportation routes that enumerators cannot reach them.

Confusion. People not at their usual place of residence on census days may be missed. These include students away at school and military personnel away on exercises or missions. Privacy Issues. Some people do not wish to answer questions about private matters even though their answers will be treated as confidential. Economic questions about family income, home ownership, and mortgages are often answered very reluctantly, incorrectly, or not at all. Some people refuse to answer questions about race, ethnicity, or religion. Reputation. Much of the data collected in early censuses was used to determine taxation levels or the number of men that could be pressed into military service. For this reason, many people still remain suspicious of the whole process.

Problems Resulting from Inaccuracies Unfair political representation. Because governments use census data to determine political boundaries and the numbers of elected officials. False information can result in unfair representation. Unfair levels of funding. Governments often distribute funding for programs such as schooling based on population figures. Faulty figures will result in unfairness

Lack of funding for homeless people. It is often the poorest members of society who are missed in the censuses. Most towns and cities a lot a specific amount of their budgets to be spent on the poorest members of their community. Because homeless people are often missed, social programs such as low-cost housing, shelters, and soup kitchens may not receive adequate funding. Product failure. If a company markets its product based on erroneous population figures, it may be targeting the wrong audience and its product may fail as a result. Faulty economic policies. Measures of the economic growth of a country are carefully correlated to population growth. If the population growth data is incorrect, economists can easily get the wrong ides about the economic health of country. This occurred in China several years ago. Chinese officials believed their economy was growing at a rapid rate. A second count of population revealed that much of the increase in economic activity was the result of a larger than expected population.