Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Bahrain

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

Central Statistics Organization, Directorate of Statistics, Cabinet Affairs, P.O. Box 5835, Manama.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1950, 1959, 1965, 1971, 1981 and 1991. The present description relates to the 1991 population census (held on 16 November).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4.Reference period:

The week prior to 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: yes

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

Re (h): The census also collected information on duration of unemployment.

6.Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 12 years and over who, during the reference week, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. Members of the armed forces are included in the definition.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons who, during the reference week, performed any work of an economic value out of home. The question used to determine if a person is to be counted as employed is What is your employment status? 1) employer; 2) self-employed; 3) paid employee; 4) unpaid employee; 5) unemployed and worked before; 6) unemployed and never worked before; 7) student; 8) home-maker; 9) income recipient; 10) unable to work; 11) no desire to work; 12) not applicable.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;
  2. persons engaged in the production of primary products for own consumption;
  3. employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
  4. working students with a part time job;
  5. seasonal or occasional workers;
  6. conscripts for military/civilian service.
Only persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference week, were without work, able and desire to work. The unemployed were registered as Unemployed and worked before or Unemployed and never worked before.

7.Classifications used:

Only employed persons were classified by industry and by status in employment. Both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed were classified by occupation.

(a) Industry

Based on the question: What is the main activity of your establishment?. For coding industry, 17 groups of the national classification were used. Links to the ISIC-rev.3 have been established to the tabulation category (1-digit) level.

(b) Occupation

Based on the question: What kind of work did you do?. For coding occupation, the Standard Arab Gulf Directory for Occupational Classification was used to the one digit level. No links to the ISCO have been established.

(c) Status in employment

The same question as for employment was used to determine this variable. For coding status in employment the four following groups were used: employer; self-employed; paid employee; unpaid employee.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

The minimum age limit used for inclusion in the economically active population was 15 years in the 1981 census.

9.Publication of the census results:

The final data have been published in October 1993 in the following publications: The population, Housing, Buildings and Establishments Census - 1991. I - Summary results. II - Demographic and social characteristics. III - Economic characteristics. IV - Characteristics of Housing, Buildings and Establishments.

The organization responsible for this publication is the Directorate of Statistics, Central Statistics Organization, P.O. Box 5835, Manama.

The final results are also available in other forms: unpublished tables, diskettes, magnetic tapes.