Nicaragua

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

National Statistical and Census Institute (INEC), Frente al Hospital Antonio Lenin Fonseca, P.O. Box 4031, Managua.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1950, 1963, 1971 and 1995. The present description relates to the 1995 population census (held on 25 April).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered

Entire population.

4. Reference period:

The week 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): Defined in terms of date of birth, year of birth and age at last birthday.

Re (g): Hours of work refer to hours of work per week.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 10 years and over who during the reference week were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons aged 10 years and over who during the reference week worked for pay or income or as unpaid helpers (family or non-family). The questions used to determine whether a person should be counted as employed were: Last week, was this person: at work? not at work because he or she was on vacation / on leave / sick / receiving benefit? not at work because he or she expected to continue farming work? not at work because he or she was expecting a reply from an employer? not at work because he or she was expecting a new job?

It is reported that the following categories are 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 or occasional workers.

All categories can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons or groups of persons aged ten years and over who during the reference week were without work and were actively seeking work. The questions used to determine whether a person should be counted as unemployed were: Was this person looking for work for the first time? Is this person a pensioner / retiree / capital income recipient? a homemaker? a student? permanently incapacitated?

7. Classifications used:

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

(a) Industry

To determine industry, the question asked was: What products are manufactured, cultivated or sold or what services are provided at this person’s present or former place of work? This variable is coded to the 4-digit (class) level and links to ISIC Rev.3 have been established.

(b) Occupation

The following question was used to establish occupation: What do you or did you do in your main job? This variable is coded to the 4-digit level.

(c) Status in employment

To determine this characteristic, the question asked was: In this occupation, what do you or did you work as? For coding status in employment, the following groups were used: employee / manual or unskilled worker / labourer; own-account worker; owner; employer; unpaid worker; member of producers’ cooperative; other.

(d) Level of education

The question used to determine this was: What is the highest level or grade you successfully completed in education? For coding this variable, the following groups were used: no level – literate; pre-school; primary; secondary; lower technical; higher technical and university. Links to ISCED-97 have not been established.

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

- 1971: de facto census;

- 1995: de jure census.

9. Publication of the census results:

The final census results were published in August 1997. The titles of the publications in which the census results are presented are:

- Resumen Censal (December 1996);

- Cifras oficiales (September1996);

- Características generales;

- Características educativas;

- Características población por municipio;

- Vivienda por municipio;

- Vivienda por departamento.

The organization responsible for publication is the National Statistical and Census Institute (INEC), Frente al Hospital Antonio Lenin Fonseca, P.O. Box 4031, Managua.

The census results are also available in the form of diskettes and CD-ROMs and on the INEC website (www.inec.gob.ni).