Census and Statistics Department, 21/F., Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, China.
Full censuses: 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001; by-censuses (i.e. sample censuses): 1966, 1976, 1986 and 1996. The present description relates to the 2001 Population Census (which took place from 15 to 27 March).
(a) Geographical scope: Whole territory. The 2001 Population Census comprised a simple enumeration of six-sevenths of households to provide basic information like age and sex of household members and a detailed enquiry of the remaining one-seventh on a broad range of demographic and socio-economic characteristics of household members. As a result, there is a full count of the population, households and quarters whilst detailed characteristics of the population and households are provided by estimates derived from the sample enquiry.
(b) Persons covered: All persons of all ages.
The seven days prior to enumeration (i.e. 7 - 13 March). However, for determining whether a person was seeking work, a period of 30 days prior to the census reference date (i.e. 12 February - 13 March) was used.
(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 (for both highest level attained and highest level completed)
(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 transport used to go to work; secondary employment; earnings and other cash incomes.
(a) Economically active population: It comprises all persons aged 15 years and over in the sample who were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. Questions on economic activity were asked of a one-in-seven sample and only to persons in the Hong Kong Resident Population.
(b) Employment: Considered as employed are all persons in the sample who replied affirmatively to any of the following three questions: “Did you perform any work for pay or profit in the week from 7 to 13 March?”, “Did you have a job or business in the week from 7 to 13 March?” and “Did you perform any work without pay in your family’s business in the week from 7 to 13 March?”.
It is reported that employed persons may belong to the following categories:
i) persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;
ii) employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
iii) working students with a part time job;
iv) seasonal or occasional workers;
v) multiple job holders;
vi) apprentices and trainees.
Only persons belonging to categories (i) and (v) can be identified separately by means of specific questions, e.g. persons in category (i) can be identified through their reply to the question “Did you perform any work without pay in your family’s business in the week from 7 to 13 March?” and those in category (v) through their reply to “Did you have a secondary employment during the past 30-day period from 12 February to 13 March?”.
(c) Unemployment: Considered as ‘unemployed’ or ‘economically inactive’ are all persons in the sample who replied in the negative to all three of the questions listed under 6 (b) above. They were further asked to answer the following questions: “Were you readily available for work in the week from 7 to 13 March?”, “Why were you not available?”, “Were you seeking work during the 30-day period from 12 February to 13 March?”, “Why did you not seek work?” and “What was the main action taken to seek work?”. They are then classified as ‘unemployed’ or ‘economically inactive’ according to their answers.
While only employed persons in the sample are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment, all persons aged 15 and over in the sample are classified by educational attainment.
(a) Industry: Two types of questions were asked of employed persons in the sample. The question asked of employees was: “What industry was the business establishment which you worked for engaged in?”. The question asked of employers, self-employed and family workers was: “What industry were you engaged in/your family’s business engaged in?”. For coding industry, 96 codes of the national classification were used. Links to ISIC-rev.2 have been established to the group (3-digit) level.
(b) Occupation: Based on the questions: “What was the title of your job?”, “What were the main tasks or duties you had to perform in that job?” and “What skill, educational or professional qualifications were required by that job?”. For coding occupation, 126 codes of the national classification of occupations were used. Links to ISCO-88 have been established to the minor group (3-digit) level.
(c) Status in employment: Based on the question: “Were you an employer, self-employed or an employee?”. (Unpaid family workers are already identified when determining employed persons and thus are not asked this question). For coding status in employment, the following four groups were used: self-employed; employers; employees (including out-workers); unpaid family workers.
(d) Level of educational attainment: Educational attainment comprised the highest level attained and the highest level completed. The questions used to determine the highest level attained are “Are you attending a school or educational institution?”, “In what class/level are you studying?”, and “What was the highest class/level you attained?”. The question used to determine the highest level completed is “What is the highest class/level of education you have completed?”. For coding the highest level attained and highest level completed, the same set of 36 codes was used.
No major difference.
There is a series of publications and products on the census results. The first report “Hong Kong 2001 Population Census Summary Results” was published in October 2001. Detailed statistics and analysis on the characteristics of the population are also available in the report “Hong Kong 2001 Population Census Main Report”, which consists of two volumes.
The organization responsible for this publication is the Demographic Statistics Section, Census and Statistics Department, 7/F, Kai Tak Multi-storey Carpark Building, 2 Concorde Road, Hong Kong, China.
The census results are also available in the form of statistical tables and CD-ROM products. Tailor-made statistics can also be made available by the above-mentioned department upon request.