Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Netherlands Antilles

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

Central Bureau of Statistics, Fort Amsterdam, Curaçao.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1960, 1972, 1981 and 1992. The present description relates to the 1992 population census (held on 27 January).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4.Reference period:

The week, the year and the five years 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: yes

(h) Other characteristics: yes

Re (a): The age is defined both in terms of year of birth and of age at last birthday.

Re (g): For both week and year reference periods, persons were asked to specify, respectively, their usual hours of work and the total period worked during the past 12 months (expressed in number of weeks). Unemployed persons were asked to specify how long did they work full-time during the past five years.

Re (h): The census also collected information on means of transport used to travel to workplace, on main source of income and on total gross income for the month of January 1992. Unemployed persons were asked to specify in what way did they look for work during the past month.

6.Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 15 to 99 years who, during the reference week, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. The definition includes all members of the armed forces.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons who, during the reference week, worked or performed casual labour for four hours or more. The question used is: Did you work or perform casual labour for four hours or more last week?.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;
  2. employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
  3. working students with a part time job;
  4. seasonal or occasional workers;
  5. conscripts for military/civilian service;
  6. apprentices and trainees.
Persons belonging to categories (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference week, were without work, looking for work or wanting to start to work for themselves, and who could start to work within two weeks in the event that they find a job.

7.Classifications used:

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

(a) Industry

Based on the questions: At which firm/company do you work? (name and address) and What kind of firm is it?. For coding industry, the national classification was used, based on the ISIC-rev.3, with 17 categories.

(b) Occupation

Based on the questions: What is your profession? (title of profession and a precise description of activity). For coding occupation, the national classification was used, based on the ISCO-88, with 10 major groups.

(c) Status in employment

Based on the questions: What is/was your economic position?. For coding this variable, nine groups were used: employer; self employed on small scale (less than 3 employees); employee in permanent service; employee in temporary service; casual service or casual jobs; family worker (unpaid); contract for less than six months; contract for six months or longer; other and unknown.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

In 1981, the age limit was 14 years and over. Moreover, the definition of employment was including occasional workers and the reference period was the last two months. Were considered as unemployed persons who were looking for work.

9.Publication of the census results:

The final census results have been published in January 1993 in a publication entitled Third Population and Housing Census, Netherlands Antilles 1992 (Three Volumes).

The organization responsible for the publication is the Central Bureau of Statistics, Fort Amsterdam, Curaçao.

Possibilities also exist for obtaining unpublished tables (on request) and diskettes (planned).