Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Guam

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

Guam Department of Commerce, Suite 601, ITC Bldg, 590 S. Marine Drive, Tamuning 96911.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1950, 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1990. The present description relates to the 1990 population census (held on 1st April).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole area.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4.Reference period:

The week prior to the census date and the year prior to the census year.

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): Hours of work relate both to actual hours worked by employed persons, at work, during the reference week and to the total period (expressed in number of hours or weeks) worked by employed persons during the year 1989.

Re (h): The census also collected other information, such as: location of work; type of transport to work; how many people rode together to work (for private vehicles only); time used to travel to work; income from wages, salaries, tips and commissions; income from own farm or non-farm business, proprietorship or partnership.

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. However, the census results will only be published for persons aged 16 years and over. Members of the armed forces are included in the definition.

(b) Employment

The questions used to determine if a person is to be counted as employed are Did you work at any time last week, either full time or part time? and Last year (1989) did you work, even for a few days, at a paid job or in a business or farm, excluding subsistence activity?.

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. apprentices and trainees.
Only persons belonging to categories (i) and (ii) can be identified separately through specific questions.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference week, were without work and seeking work. To determine if a person is to be counted as unemployed, the following questions were used: Were you on lay-off from a job or business last week?; Have you been looking for work to earn money during the last four weeks?; Could you have taken a job last week if one had been offered?; and When did you last work at a job, business or farm, even for a few days?.

7.Classifications used:

Both employed persons and unemployed persons who had worked any time in the year before the census year (1989) are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.

(a) Industry

Based on the questions: For whom did you work?; What kind of business or industry was this?; and Is this mainly manufacturing, wholesale trade, retail trade, construction, or something else?. For coding industry, 13 major groups and 231 categories of the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (1972 and 1977 supplement) were used. No links to the ISIC have been established.

(b) Occupation

Based on the questions: What kind of work were you doing? and What were your most important activities or duties?. For coding occupation, 13 major groups and 503 categories of the U.S. Standard Occupational Classification were used. No links to the ISCO have been established.

(c) Status in employment

Based on the question: Were you: (1) Employee of a private for profit company or business or of an individual, for wages, salary, or commissions; (2) Employee of a private not-for-profit, tax-exempt, or charitable organization; (3) Local or territorial Government employee (territorial/commonwealth, etc.); (4) Federal Government employee; (5) Self-employed in own not-incorporated business, professional practice, or farm; (6) Self-employed in own incorporated business, professional practice, or farm; (7) Working without pay in family business or farm. For coding status in employment, the above seven groups were used.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

The only difference between the 1980 and 1990 censuses is the inclusion of armed forces personnel in the questions on industry, occupation and status in employment.

9.Publication of the census results:

Several summary tables of information from the 1990 census were released in August 1991. The completed document was available in 1992.

The organization responsible for this publication is: Puerto Rico and Outlying Areas Branch, Decennial Planning Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C. 20233.

The census results are also available in the form of diskettes, CD-ROM and unpublished tables.