BAHAMAS

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

Department of Statistics, Ministry of Finance, P.O. Box N-3904, Nassau.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1953, 1963, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000. The present description relates to the 2000 population census (held on 1st May).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope: Entire country which includes all islands and habitable cays.

(b) Persons covered: All persons of all ages, except foreign diplomatic personnel residing in the Bahamas. A record, by sex, of visitors to the country during the census period was made; however, visitors were not interviewed and are therefore not included in the census count.

4. Reference period:

The week ending 30 April 2000 and the 12 months prior to the census.

5. Main topics:

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

Economically active population by:

(b) Sex and age group: yes

Employed population by

(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): Hours of work relate to the total hours worked by employed persons during the one week reference period.

Re (h): The census also collected information on: (i) the number of jobs an individual held in the reference week and (ii) total income during the 12 months preceding the date of the census.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population: It comprises all persons aged 15 years and over who, during the reference periods, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. The definition also includes armed forces.

(b) Employment: The questions asked to determine if a person is to be counted as employed are “Did you work at all during the week of 24^th through 30^th April 2000?” and “Did you have a job but did not work during that period?”. The same two questions were asked for a twelve month period. For analytical purposes the short period is used for comparability with the annual labour force survey. Persons answering “Worked” and “Had a job but did not work” are considered employed.

The following categories are included:

i) persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;

ii) persons engaged in the production of primary products for own consumption;

iii) employed persons, temporarily absent from work;

iv) working students with a part-time job;

v) seasonal or occasional workers;

vi) conscripts for military/civilian service;

vii) apprentices and trainees.

Only persons belonging to categories (i) and (iii) can be identified separately through the replies to the questions on employment and status in employment.

(c) Unemployment: Considered as unemployed are all persons who did not have a job and were seeking work. A person is counted as unemployed if the reply to the questions asked under 6 (b) above is “Looked for work” or “Looked for work during the past four weeks”.

7. Classifications used:

Employed persons are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.

(a) Industry: Based on the question: “What kind of business or activity takes place there? (e.g. retail store, primary school, law firm, bank, brewery, etc.)”. For coding industry, nine groups were used. Links to ISIC-rev.2 have been established to the major division (1-digit) level.

(b) Occupation: Based on the question: “What type of work do you/did you do? (e.g. sales clerk, typist, doctor, auto mechanic, civil engineer, taxi driver, housemaid, etc.)”. For coding occupation, nine groups were used. Links to ISCO-88 have been established to the major group (1-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment: Based on the question: “Are/were you self-employed or working for someone else in your main job?” For coding status in employment, seven groups were used: self-employed (no paid helper); self-employed (1-4 paid helpers); self-employed (5 or more paid helpers); employee (government/government corporation); employee (private 1-4 workers); employee (private – 5 or more workers); unpaid family worker.

(d) Level of education: Based on the questions: “What is the highest grade or year of regular school attended?” (national groupings used); “What is the highest certificate, diploma or degree earned?” (ISCED modified for national purposes); Persons with degree only: “Major/Discipline?” (ISCED).

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

In 2000 there was a lead question, “Did you work at all during ………?”, prior to the question on main activity during period. This was not the case in 1990.

In 1990 “Seeking first job” and “Seeking job other than first” were asked. These were not asked in 2000, but “Looked for Work” and “Looked for work during past four weeks” were asked.

In 1990 only the number of weeks worked was asked for; in 2000 both weeks worked and hours worked during the reference week were asked for. Hours related to primary job.

In 2000 the number of jobs an individual had during the reference week was asked. This was not asked in 1990.

9. Publication of the census results:

The title of the publication containing the census results is: “Commonwealth of the Bahamas - Report of the 2000 Census of Population and Housing”, issued in 2002.

The organization responsible for this publication is the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Finance, P.O. Box N-3904, Nassau, Bahamas.

The census results are also available in the form of unpublished tables and diskettes.