Kyrgyzstan

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

Census Population Department of the National Statistical Committee, 374, Frunze Str., Bishkek city, 720033.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1959, 1970, 1979, 1989 and 1999. The present description relates to the 1999 population census (conducted on 24 March 1999).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope: Whole country.

(b) Persons covered: All persons of all ages.

4. Reference period:

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) Educational level: yes

(g) Hours of work: no

(h) Other characteristics: yes

Re (a): The age was defined in terms of year of birth.

Re (h): The census also collected information on place of work and on secondary occupation.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population: The economically active population comprises all persons aged 16 years and over who, at the time of the census, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below.  Members of the armed forces and conscripts on military/civilian service were included in the definition.

(b) Employment: Considered as employed were all persons who, when asked about their means of existence, gave one of the following replies: Employee in an enterprise, organization, or institution, on an agricultural farm, or with an individual employer (including paid family workers); Owner of enterprise, farm; Self-employed worker; Unpaid family worker (including on a farm); or Farmer on individual plot.  The other possible answers were: Student allowance; Pension; Benefits (excluding unemployment benefits); Unemployment benefits; Other type of state security; Income from property; Dependant and Other sources.

It is reported that the following categories were included:

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

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

iii)       employed persons, temporarily absent from work;

iv)       working students with a part-time job;

v)         seasonal workers not at work during the off-season;

vi)       regular members of the armed forces;

vii)      conscripts on military/civilian service;

viii)     apprentices and trainees;

ix)        persons temporarily laid off (with formal job attachment).

None of these categories can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment: Unemployment was determined on the basis of a combination of the answers given to the question indicated under 6 (b) above, and to the questions: “Are you looking for a job?”.  “If no, is it because you have found one and will start within the next two weeks; because you applied for a job and are waiting for a reply; because your age and qualifications do not correspond to any job; because of illness or invalidity; for family reasons; or because you don't need to work?”.  It is reported that students seeking work, future starts and persons temporarily laid-off (with formal job attachment) were included in the definition, while discouraged workers were excluded from the definition.

7. Classifications used:

Only employed persons were classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment while both employed and unemployed persons were classified by educational level.

(a) Industry: Based on the question “Please indicate the name and the type of activity of your enterprise”.  For coding industry, 222 groups of the national classification were used.  Links to ISIC Rev.3 have been established at the tabulation category (1-digit) level.

(b) Occupation: Based on the question “Please indicate the name of your position, your occupation and the work you are carrying out”. For coding occupation, the national classification was used.  Links to ISCO-88 have been established.

(c) Status in employment: This variable was coded according to the answers given to the question indicated under 6 (b).

(d) Level of education: For coding level of education, nine groups of the national classification were used.  No links to ISCED have been established.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

-           The category of unemployment and the status in employment classification have been introduced;

-           The definition of employment has been revised on the basis of international recommendations;

-           A question on secondary occupation has been introduced;

-           The national classification of education has been enlarged.

9. Publication of the census results:

The final results of the census have been published in an extensive series of publications   issued between 2000 and 2003, beginning with “Main results of the First National Population Census of the Kyrgyz Republic of 1999”.

The organization responsible for the publication of the census results is the National Statistical Committee, Main Computing Centre.

The final census data are also available in the form of diskettes, CD and on the website of the National Statistical Committee (www.stat.kg).