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Symposium 2001/46 27 July 2001 English only
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Symposium
on Global Review of 2000 Round of
Population and Housing Censuses:
Mid-Decade Assessment and
Future Prospects
United Nations Secretariat
New York, 7-10 August 2001
Population
and Housing Census in Lithuania *
Dalia Ambrozaitiene **
1.
The first population
and housing census following the restoration of Lithuanian independence was
conducted in April 2001, under a Population and Housing Census Law passed by
the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania on 10 July 1999.
2.
The census
was designed to collect reliable data about the size of Lithuania’s population
and its composition. It was a part of
the worldwide population and housing programme for the 2000 round of censuses
adopted by the United Nations.
3.
Census
activities started on 6 April 2001. The
census obtained demographic and social characteristics of the population
including education, educational attainment, nationality status, economic
activity and occupation, sources of livelihood, knowledge of other languages
and housing and living conditions.
4.
The census
method of enumeration of the population was through visiting the households for
face-to-face interviews of the members and people residing in dwellings. The
population registers were not used because they are under preparation and also
contain no information about nationality, languages spoken, religion, workplace
and occupation, and housing characteristics.
5.
The census
questionnaire was designed following the United Nations and Eurostat recommendations
for the 2000 round of population and housing censuses. These recommendations
were analysed and adjusted to national needs in cooperation with other
Lithuanian institutions (replies received from all interested parties),
demographers and other specialists.
6.
To ensure
complete census coverage, urban and rural territories were divided on the basis
of schematic plans and maps. Lists of residential dwellings and occupied
buildings were updated and cartographic materials were revised. The work was
organized by the Lithuanian Department of Statistics and local statistical
offices. Census commissions were established in each municipality.
7.
Census
managers and their deputies, supervisors and enumerators were selected and
trained. In all, about 15,000 employees were recruited for the census: about
600 census managers and their deputies, 1,900 supervisors and 12,000
enumerators.
8.
In most
territories the census was completed in eight days, and in the remaining ones
in ten days. Persons not enumerated due to some reason were given the option to
be enumerated later.
9.
According
to the final figures reported by enumerators, census questionnaires were filled
in for 3.5 million residents. The
census results show a decline in Lithuania’s population and in the population
living in its biggest cities. Population has declined due to negative natural
increase, emigration and temporary outmigration of the permanent population.
10.
The census
data are being processed using optical-recognition techniques (scanners). Automatic coding based on the international
classifications is used for coding education (ISCED), economic activities
(NACE) and occupations. Final figures will be released in October 2001.
11.
The law on
statistics provides that statistical data are confidential and may be used only
for statistical purposes and disseminated only when aggregated.
12.
The census
output will be analysed and published according to the users’ needs. The main
census data will be available via the Internet and will be provided to
Eurostat, the United Nations and other international organizations once the
data processing is completed.
