Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Maldives

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

Ministry of Planning, Human resources and Environment, Ghazee Building, Male' 20-05.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1946, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1985 and 1990. The present description relates to the 1990 population census (held on 25 March).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4.Reference period:

The week and the three months preceding 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) Highest educational level: yes

(g) Hours of work: yes

(h) Other characteristics: no

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

Re (g): For both short and long reference periods, employed persons were asked to specify respectively their usual hours of work and the total number of hours worked.

6.Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 12 years and over who, during the short reference period, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. The definition excludes members of the armed forces.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons including family workers who worked during the short reference period or who had a job in which they had already worked but from which they were temporarily absent because of illness or injury, industrial dispute, vacation or other leave of absence, absence without leave or temporary disorganization of work due to such reason as bad weather or mechanical break down.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;
  2. employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
  3. working students with a part time job;
  4. seasonal or occasional workers;
  5. apprentices and trainees.
None of these categories can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the short reference period, were without work and seeking work for pay or profit, including those who never worked before. Students seeking work are excluded from the definition.

7.Classifications used:

Both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.

(a) Industry

Based on the question: During the reference week (or in your current job), which industry did you worked for most of your time?. For coding industry, the ISIC-rev.3 has been used to the class (4-digit) level.

(b) Occupation

Based on the question: Describe the specific type of work or designation of this work. For coding occupation, the ISCO-88 has been used to the unit group (4-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment

Based on the question: What was the category of employment?. For coding this variable, four groups were used, namely: employer; employee; own-account worker; and family worker (without pay).

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

No major difference.

9.Publication of the census results:

The final census data on the economically active population and its components were issued in a publication entitled Population and Housing Census of the Maldives 1990.

The organization responsible for the publication is the Ministry of Planning, Human Resources and Environment, Ghazee Building, Male' 20-05.

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