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Population and Vital Statistics Report |
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Introduction |
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Data selection |
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Symbols & Units |
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Technical notes |
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Subscriptions |
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Contact us |
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Population and Vital Statistics Report
Technical Notes
A. Population
Unless otherwise noted, census or survey results and estimates refer to the de facto population within the present boundaries, as described in table 3 of the Demographic Yearbook.
Latest population census. For the latest nation-wide population census, the census date and the total population enumerated are shown. If no census has been carried out recently but the results of a nation-wide sample survey are available, the survey results are shown in the census column suitably identified. Unless otherwise indicated, these data are the base from which the 2000 estimate has been constructed by the method described below under ''Type of estimate''.
Latest official estimate. The most recent official estimate of the total population, with reference date, is presented. In most cases, this estimate post-dates the census or survey, but if the latter is very recent, the results of the enumeration may be the latest data available, in which case they are considered to be the latest official estimate.
Mid-year 2000 estimate. Mid-year 2000 estimates of the total population are presented for each country or area of the world. These refer to 1 July. In the absence of an acceptable official mid-year figure or a mean of acceptable end-year official estimates, a mid-year estimate made by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat is shown. The United Nations estimates, identified in the table by a superscript ''x'', are taken from World Population Prospects 2000. 1/ The method by which the 1999 estimates were prepared is indicated by the code in the column headed ''Type''.
Type of estimate. The letter and numeral shown in the column headed ''Type' 'indicate the method by which the 2000 population estimates were prepared, so far as could be ascertained. The code is composed of four parts: (I) nature of the base data, (II) recency of the base data, (III) method of the time adjustment and (IV) quality of the time adjustment. The components of the code are listed below for reference; for more detailed explanations, see section 3.2.1 of the Technical Notes in the Demographic Yearbook 2/.
Part I. Nature of base data (capital letter)
A Complete census of individuals
B Sample survey
C Partial census or partial registration of individuals
D Conjecture
... Nature of base data not determined
Part II. Recency of base data (subscript numeral following capital letter)
Numeral indicates time elapsed (in years) since establishment of the base figure
Part III. Method of time adjustment (lower-case letter)
a Adjustment by continuous population register
b Adjustment based on calculated balance of births, deaths and migration
c Adjustment by assumed rate of population increase
d No adjustment; base figure held constant for at least two consecutive years
... Method of adjustment not determined
Part IV. Quality of adjustment
- for types ''a'' and ''b'' (numeral following letter ''a'' or ''b'')
1 Population balance adequately accounted for
2 Adequacy of accounting for population balance not determined but assumed to be adequate
3 Population balance not adequately accounted for
- for type ''c''(numeral following letter ''c'')
1 Two or more censuses taken at decennial intervals or less
2 Two or more censuses taken, but latest exceeds a decennium
3 One or no census taken
1/ World Population Prospects : The 2000 Revision, (Volume 1), United Nations publication, Sales No. E.01.XIII.8 2/ Demographic Yearbook 1999, United Nations publication, Sales No. E/F.01.XIII.1 and previous editions.
B. Vital statistics
Unless otherwise noted, registered data relate to live births, deaths and infant deaths, excluding foetal deaths, in the de facto population within present boundaries as recorded in civil registers. As far as possible, the data are for live births or deaths that occurred during the given year. In some cases, however, they relate to events registered during that year, including some births or deaths that occurred in previous years, and excluding some events that occurred during the given year but are not yet registered. Data known to be tabulated on a date-of-registration basis are identified by the symbol (+).
Registered rates. Birth and death rates are the number of births or deaths reported in the specified year per thousand mid-year population. Official estimates of mid-year population are used to calculate these rates. If official estimates are not available, mid-year estimates prepared by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat are used. Infant mortality rates are the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per thousand live births in the same year. If official estimates of infant mortality rates are not available, estimates prepared by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat are used. Unless otherwise noted, the rates shown were computed by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat and rates were not computed on frequencies of less than ten (10).
Estimated rates. Estimated rates are shown in a separate column for countries or areas for which the registered vital statistics data are assessed as being less than complete. These assessments are discussed below. First priority is given to official estimates such as those from sample surveys. These are identified in the footnotes. When official estimates are not available, estimates prepared by the Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat are presented. These estimates, identified by a footnote, are from World Population Prospects 1998. 2/
Quality of registered data. Each country or area has been asked to indicate the estimated completeness of the live births, deaths and infant deaths recorded in its civil registers. These national assessments are indicated by the quality codes C, U and ... that appear in the table.
C Data estimated to be virtually complete, i.e., representing at least 90 per cent of the events occurring each year;
U Data estimated to be incomplete, i.e., representing less than 90 per cent of the events occurring each year;
... Data for which no specific information is available regarding completeness.
Additional information, when available, on the percentage of completeness of registration can be found in the relevant tables of the Demographic Yearbook. The code does not apply to estimated rates, the quality of which has not been evaluated.
