1. Alternative Census Designs: An Overview of Issues
Expert Group Meeting to
Review Critical Issues Relevant to the Planning of
the 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses
15-17 September 2004
New York
Alternative Census Designs:
An Overview of Issues
Social and Housing Statistics Section
Demographic and Social Statistics Branch
United Nations Statistics Division/DESA

2. Basic characteristics of a traditional census
Individual enumeration
Universality within defined geographic entity
Simultaneous operation
Defined periodicity

3. Concerns raised against traditional censuses
Prohibitive costs
Untimeliness of census results
Under-coverage
In some cases questionable data quality
Inflexibility

4. Some alternative census designs
Register-based
Register/administrative records and sample surveys-based
Sample surveys-based
Traditional census supplemented by annual surveys

5. Issues and questions pertaining to alternative designs
Is there a need to revisit the definition of census?
What are the necessary requirements for adopting alternative census designs?
To what extent do these designs meet the data needs of countries (for example, small area statistics, frames for surveys, difficult to enumerate populations)?

6. Issues and questions pertaining to alternative designs (continued)
Are they really more cost-effective?
What implications do these alternative designs have in terms of privacy and confidentiality?
What are their implications vis-à-vis use of IT?

7. Intercensal survey programme
In view of some of these designs, is there a need for an integrated intercensal household programme?
What are the implications of this at national and international levels?

8. Review of Principles and Recommendations for censuses
The Expert Group may wish to:
Critically analyse these designs and their applicability to countries at different levels of statistical development
Give guidance on aspects and areas which need to be reviewed and/or included in the Principles and Recommendations
Propose related activities, outputs and suggest a timeline in relation to the above.

9. Thank you.