Population and Housing Census 2001
Namibia, 2001
Identification
NAM_2001_PHC_v01_M
Population and Housing Census 2001
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Namibia | NAM |
Population and Housing Census [hh/popcen]
The Namibia 2001 Population and Housing Census is the second post-independence census, the first one having been undertaken in 1991.
The Namibia 2001 Population and Housing Census is the second post-independence census, the first one having been undertaken in 1991. The census was undertaken in accordance with the Statistics Act of 1976. Cabinet authorised the National Planning Commission Secretariat to undertake the Population and Housing Census in 2001.
The main objectives of the census are to:
- Provide an objective and adequate statistical basis for overall social and economic planning
- Provide an adequate statistical basis for measuring the size and growth of the population
- Determine the structure and composition of our population by age, sex, region and other socio-economic characteristics
- Provide a basis for estimating basic demographic characteristics, which include, among others, the levels of fertility and mortality, not only at national and regional levels, but also for specific population sub-groups
- Make it possible to estimate future population trends through population projections
- Provide information for updating the Electoral Register
- Provide information for the delineation of Regional as well as Constituency boundaries
- Serves as a database for up-dating the Frame for the National Master Sample
Census/enumeration data [cen]
- Households
- Individuals
- Housing units
Scope
The 2001 Namibia Population and Housing Census covered the following topics:
- Identification particulars of the household
- Basic information on all members of the household
- Early childhood development for those aged 3-6 years
- Literacy and education particulars for those aged 6 years and above
- Labour force questions for those aged 8 years and above
- Fertility information for females aged 12 - 49 years
- Housing conditions and other household characteristics
- Information on mortality
Coverage
National
The de facto approach was used during this census. The night of 27th to the morning of 28th August 2001 was designated as the Census Reference Night. All persons who were in Namibia during this night, irrespective of their citizenship, nationality or place of usual residence were enumerated at the places where they spent this census reference night. It should be noted that Namibian citizens who were out of the country on this reference night were not eligible for enumeration.
Producers and sponsors
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) | National Planning Commission, Government of Republic of Namibia |
Survey instrument
The census information was collected through a questionnaire, which was administered by trained interviewers. Three types of questionnaires were used. The main one, known as Form A was used for the household. The second one, Form B, was applied to institutional population, while the third one, Form C, was used for the homeless and the overnight travellers.
Form A, the household questionnaire, was made up of the following sections:
- Section A: Identification particulars of the household
- Section B: Basic information on all members of the household
- Section C: Early childhood development for those aged 3-6 years
- Section D: Literacy and education particulars for those aged 6 years and above
- Section E: Labour force questions for those aged 8 years and above
- Section F: Fertility information for females aged 12 - 49 years
- Section G: Housing conditions and other household characteristics
- Section H: Information on mortality, and
- Control Section for administrative and logistical purposes.
Form B, the institutional questionnaire, is the same as Form A except that Sections G and H on housing conditions and household characteristics and mortality, are not included.
Form C, the questionnaire for the homeless, overnight travellers and persons who were in hotels and lodges, was a relatively short form, which collected information on age, sex marital status, citizenship and place of usual residence.
Data collection
| Start | End |
|---|---|
| 2001-08-27 | 2001-08-28 |
Data appraisal
Census Coverage Errors
There are two main types of coverage errors. These relate respectively to under-coverage and over-coverage. Under-coverage errors occur when persons who should have been enumerated in the census are missed or the completed questionnaires relating to them are misplaced or lost. On the other hand, over-coverage errors are caused by mistaken inclusions, such as multiple enumerations of the same persons and the enumeration of persons who were not in the country during the Census Reference Night.
Under-coverage errors may be an outcome of one of the following situations:
- localities that are completely omitted from the census count because they were not covered by the interviewer
- houses or dwelling units not enumerated in localities that were covered by the interviewer
- households omitted in houses or dwelling units that were covered
- persons not enumerated in households that were covered
- persons not belonging to private households and were not counted
Over-coverage is likely to occur when:
- persons are enumerated more than once thereby inflating the population figure for an area
- either respondents or the interviewers are not careful to ensure that only persons who spent the census reference night in the household are counted
The latter case may occur when the concept of the census reference night is not clearly understood by the respondents, or the interviewer fails to pose this question properly.
For this census, the PES was limited to the household population. Under-coverage for the special population groups like institutions and the homeless was not included. It is assumed that these are relatively small and with high mobility. The cost of including them in the PES is not commensurate with their likely contribution to the coverage error.
Disclaimer and copyrights
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.
Contacts
| Name | URL |
|---|---|
| National Planning Commission | http://www.npc.gov.na/gsd/index.htm |
Metadata production
DDI_NAM_2001_PHC_v01_M_WB
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| World Bank, Development Economics Data Group | Documentation of the study |
2013-03-12
Metadata version
Version 01 (March 2013)