LATVIA

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

Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, Lacplesa Street 1, Riga, LV-1301.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1959, 1970, 1979, 1989 and 2000.  The present description relates to the 2000 Population Census  (conducted on 31 March).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope:

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered:

All persons of all ages.

4. Reference period:

(a) One week (Current activity status) - for industry and occupation, and

(b) Long reference period (Usual activity status) - for status in employment.

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: yes

(h) Other characteristics: no

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

Re (g): The census collected information on the usual hours of work of employed persons during the reference period by means of the following answers: AFull-time@, ALong part-time@ and AShort part-time@.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population:

It comprises all persons aged 15 years and over who, during the reference period, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below.  All members of the armed forces are included in the definition.

(b) Employment:

Considered as employed are all persons working in government institutions and enterprises, social and religious organizations along with enterprises under their ownership, all types of companies, sole proprietor enterprises, peasant farms, household plots, private subsidiary farms as well as self-employed persons.  Based on the question: AUsual activity status?  (i) Employed person; (ii) Unemployed person@.  Working students with a part-time job are included in the definition.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

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

ii) employed persons, temporarily absent from work;

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

iv) regular members of the armed forces;

v) conscripts on military/civilian service;

vi) apprentices and trainees;

vii) persons temporarily laid-off (with formal job attachment).

Persons belonging to categories (i) and (iv) are identified separately.

(c) Unemployment:

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference period, were without work, actively seeking work, and immediately available for work. Based on the same question as employment: AUsual activity status? (i) Employed person; (ii) Unemployed person@.  It is reported that students seeking work, future starts, persons temporarily laid-off (without formal job attachment) and discouraged workers are excluded from the definition.

7. Classifications used:

Employed persons are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment; employed and unemployed persons are classified by educational level.

(a) Industry:

Employed persons were asked to indicate the name of the enterprise where they worked during the week preceding the census day.

(b) Occupation:

Employed persons were asked to indicate their occupation during the week preceding the census day.

(c) Status in employment:

Employed and unemployed persons were asked to indicate their status in employment based on a long reference period. For coding this variable, the following six groups were used: (i) Employee, (ii) Employer, (iii) Own account worker, (iv) Contributing family worker, (v) Unemployed, and (vi) Conscript.

(d) Level of education:

Persons aged seven years and over were asked to indicate their educational attainment.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

In the previous census, there was no unemployment category, and the classifications of economic activities and of occupation were different.

9. Publication of the census results:

The final census results were published in 2002.

The organization responsible for this publication is the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, Lacplesa Street 1, Riga, LV-1301.  The web site address is: www.csb.lv.

The 2000 census results are available in the form of different publications, on diskettes and CD-Rom.