MACAU, CHINA

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

Statistics and Census Service of Macau, 17^th floor, “Dynasty Plaza” Bldg., 411-417 Alameda Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção, Macau.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1950, 1960, 1970, 1981, 1991 and 2001. The present description relates to the 2001 Census (held on 23rd August).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope: Whole territory.  The 2001 Census covered the entire Macau Special Administrative Region, which included all individuals and types of quarters for housing or other purposes.

Two types of questionnaires were used, i.e. a short form and a long form, to ensure a complete enumeration of the population and their basic characteristics whilst other detailed information was obtained by sampling. Four-fifths of the living quarters in Macau Peninsula and Taipa Island were selected to answer the short form; one-fifth answering the long form.  All living quarters in Coloane Island were required to answer the long form.

(b) Persons covered: All persons of all ages, excluding military personnel of the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China stationed in Macau.

4. Reference period:

The seven days prior to enumeration. A period of 30 days prior to the census date was   used as the reference period to determine the economic activity status of a person.

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:  no

(h) Other characteristics:  yes.

Re (a): The age is defined in terms of year of birth and age at last birthday.

Re (h): The census also collected information on place of work and income from employment in July 2001.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population: Total number of persons aged 14 years and over who were available to participate in the production of goods and services during the reference period.  It comprises the employed population and the unemployed population.

(b) Employment: Total number of persons aged 14 years and over who had worked at least one hour during the reference period, for pay, profit or family gain, in cash or in kind.

The following categories are included:

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)         apprentices and trainees.

Categories (ii) and (iii) can be identified separately by means of their responses to specific questions.

(c) Unemployment: Total number of persons aged 14 years and over during the reference period with all of the following conditions:  1) Not having a job or any formal job attachment to an employer; 2) Available for work with remuneration or running own business;  3) Seeking work during the last 30 days.

7. Classifications used:

Employed persons and unemployed persons (searching for a new job) in the respective surveys were classified by industry and by occupation. A question on status in employment was asked of employed persons.

(a) Industry: Based on the question: “What kind of industry is/was carried out by the establishment at the location where you are working/worked?”. For coding industry, links to ISIC-rev.3 have been used in tabulating the l-digit level.

(b) Occupation: Based on the questions: “What is/was your occupation (your post)?” and “What are/were the main tasks and duties you have/had to perform in that occupation?”. For coding occupation, links to ISCO-88 have been applied in tabulating the major-group (1-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment:  Based on the question: “What was your main employment status during the past seven days?”.  For coding status in employment, the following groups were used:  employer; own-account worker; employee; unpaid family worker.

(d) Level of education:  Based on the questions: “Will you attend any educational institute in the coming academic year?” and  “What is your highest level attained?”.  Nine groups were used to code these data, namely:  1) no schooling; 2) pre-primary; 3) primary (incomplete); 4) primary (completed); 5) junior secondary; 6) senior secondary; 7) (tertiary) non-degree; 8) degree courses; and 9) special education provided to disabled persons with mental and physical problems.  The classification of level of education and field of study is linked to ISCED-97.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

No major differences.

9. Publication of the census results:

The results were issued in the publication entitled “Global Results of Census 2001”, July 2002.

The organization responsible for this publication is Statistics and Census Service of Macau, 17^th floor, “Dynasty Plaza” Bldg., 411-417 Alameda Dr. Carlos d’Assumpção, Macau.

The census results are also available in the form of diskettes, CD and for downloading from the website (http://www.dsec.gov.mo) of the Census and Statistics Service under “E-publication”.