Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Central African Rep.

The description of the 1988 census in the Central African Republic is presented in this volume because it was not available when the first edition was published.

1.Name and address of the organization responsible for the census:

Ministère de l'Economie, du Plan, des Statistiques et de la Coopération internationale, Bureau Central du Recensement (BCR), B.P. 696, Bangui.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1975 and 1988. The present description relates to the 1988 census, which was held from 8 to 22 December (reference date 15 December).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole territory.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4.Reference period:

The seven days preceding the census day.

5.Main topics:

(a) Total population, by sex and age: yes

Economically active population by:

(b) Sex and age group: yes

(c) Industry: yes

(d) Occupation: yes

(e) Status in employment: yes

(f) Highest educational level: yes

(g) Hours of work: no

(h) Other characteristics: no

Re (a): The age is defined in terms of age at last birthday for persons whose day, month and year of birth are known, and in terms of year of birth for all others.

6.Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 6 years and over who, during the reference period, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. The definition includes career members of the armed forces, but excludes conscripts.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons who reported having had an occupation, function or any economic activity during the reference period, for pay or otherwise, at home or elsewhere. Women who, in addition to household work, also engage regularly in field or other work, are also covered by the definition. Working students with a part-time job are excluded from the definition.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business (provided they work full-time);
  2. persons engaged in the production of primary products for own consumption;
  3. employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
  4. seasonal or occasional workers;
  5. apprentices and trainees.
Only persons falling in categories (i) and (v) can be identified separately by means of their responses to specific questions.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who reported not having worked at all during the reference period. The definition covers both unemployed persons who had previously been employed, and first-time jobseekers.

It should be noted that the 1988 census had underestimated the extent of unemployment by around 6 per cent, owing to a short reference period (one week) and to insufficient information on hours of work. At the same time, the inclusion of temporary and informal sector workers had led to overstating the number of employed persons.

7.Classifications used:

Both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.

(a) Industry

To determine industry group, the question asked concerned the activity of the establishment in which the person was (or had last been) employed. For coding industry, the ISIC-rev.2 has been used to the major division (1-digit) level.

(b) Occupation

Both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed were asked a specific question to determine their current or most recent occupation group. For coding occupation, the ISCO-68 was used to the unit group (3-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment

A specific question was asked of both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed to determine their current or most recent status. For coding status in employment, the following five categories were used: self-employed; employer; employee; family worker; unpaid apprentice.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

Essentially, the same questions and reference period had been used in the 1975 census to determine and describe the economically active population and its component groups (employed and unemployed).

As noted under 6 (c), the short one-week reference period, on the one hand, and the inclusion of temporary and informal sector workers, on the other, led respectively to underestimating the volume of unemployment and to overstating of the number of employed persons. It has therefore been proposed to review definitions and the reference period for the next census, which is planned for 1998.

9.Publication of the census results:

The results were to have been published in 1992 in the following volumes: Tableaux statistiques, containing data on the economically active population and its component groups, and Rapports d'analyse (12 volumes devoted to 12 distinct topics).

The Bureau Central du Recensement (BCR), Division des Statistiques et des Etudes Economiques, in Bangui, is responsible for these publications.

All data concerning the 1988 census are stored on hard disk and can be copied to floppy diskettes.