Population and Housing Census 2008

The Government of Liberia considered the 2008 National Population and Housing Census (NPHC) a necessary prerequisite for assessing the socio-economic needs of its population and, hence, it attaches great importance to the determination of the current numbers and distribution of the population in pursuance of its program for national development. Therefore, the census organization provided for participation at all levels of Government, civil society and non-governmental organizations through the formation of committees, working in close collaboration with and under the direct supervision of authority from the Census Commission.

The mapping exercise that preceded the census canvassed the whole country and drew all boundaries of the administrative hierarchy and geographically positioned the various localities. Hence, the 2008 Population and Housing Census (NPHC) will, to a certain extent, bridge the statistics gaps mentioned above by offering national and sub-national baseline statistics and updated demographic indicators.

Globally, the methodology of census taking has been improving over the years and the 2008 NPHC portrays these improvements. However, there are two basic additions to this census; foremost, the shift from the de jure censuses of 1962, 1974 and 1984 to a de facto census in 2008 and, secondly, the inclusion of an Agricultural Module. The de jure census records usual residents of the household while the de facto one records persons who spent a reference night in the household. De facto censuses are easier to conduct and, hence, most countries adopt them. Liberia being a predominantly agricultural country, the 'Agricultural Module' was introduced with the aim of generating a sampling frame that will be used to design and implement agricultural surveys in the future.

The enumeration started on the morning of 21st of March, 2008 and ended in the evening of 30th March, 2008. It was done by trained enumerators who administered a standard questionnaire to the household heads or any other knowledgeable household members. Arrangements were made to ensure that special categories of the population were enumerated; for example, street children who do not live in formal households, in-mates in hotels and transients at air and sea ports.