Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Réunion

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

Service régional de l'INSEE à la Réunion, 15 rue de l'école, 97490 Ste Clotilde, La Réunion.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1954, 1961, 1967, 1974, 1982 and 1990. The present description relates to the 1990 census (held on 15 March).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole territory.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

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: no

(h) Other characteristics: yes

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

Re (h): The census also covered information on other topics, such as: full-time and part-time work, primary activity, the number of workers employed by self-employed persons, the length of time spent looking for work, etc.

6.Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 14 years and over who, during the reference week, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. The definition also covers all members of the armed forces (career military staff and conscripts). Questions concerning economic activity were asked only of a sample of persons, which excluded military staff living in barracks and prisonners.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons who, during the reference week, had an occupation, function or any economic activity, whether paid or unpaid. Specific questions used to determine if a person is to be counted as employed are: Do you work (full time or part time)?; Are you: employed or self-employed (farmer, craftsman, merchant, industrialist, professional, unpaid family worker, etc.)?, and If you are self-employed: how many workers do you employ? (do not count apprentices or domestic staff; in agriculture, count only permanent employees). The definition also covers persons engaged in paid community work provided to the unemployed, persons who have been placed by a temporary employment agency, persons holding a fixed-term employment contract, and persons with a retraining contract.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;
  2. persons engaged in the production of primary products for own consumption;
  3. employed persons, temporarily absent from work;
  4. working students with a part time job;
  5. seasonal or occasional workers who were working at the time of the census;
  6. conscripts for military/civilian service;
  7. apprentices (bound by a contract) and trainees (mainly in enterprises or training centres).
Only persons belonging to categories (i), (vi) and (vii) can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, on their own initiative, stated that they were without work, and who were seeking work. The questions used to determine if a person should be considered as unemployed are Are you unemployed (whether registered or not with the National Employment Agency)?, Have you previously worked? (if so, what was your primary occupation?, and Are you seeking work (for: less than three months; three months to less than one year; one year to less than two years; two years or more)?.

7.Classifications used:

Both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed included in the sample are classified by occupation. Only employed persons in the sample are classified by industry and by status in employment.

(a) Industry

Surveyed persons were asked to give the address and name of the establishment where they work or which they manage, and to identify its activity as accurately as possible (for example: wholesale wine dealers, manufacture of metal scaffolding, road passenger transport, etc.). For coding industry, 100 groups of the Nomenclature of Activities and Products (NAP) were used. Links to the ISIC have not been established.

(b) Occupation

Surveyed persons were asked to identify their current or most recent occupation as accurately as possible (for example: electrical maintenance worker, lorry driver, household appliance salesperson, chemical engineer, self-service cashier, etc.) to permit the determination of their occupational group. The question, however, was left open-ended, so that surveyed persons could reply in their own words. The classification in a specific group takes place when the data is processed. For coding occupation, a direct coding system entailing 42 groups was used. Links to the ISCO have not been established.

(c) Status in employment

For coding this variable, five categories were used, namely: self-employed person; employer; employee; unpaid family worker; other.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

The minimum age limit used for inclusion in the economically active population was 15 years in the 1982 census.

Moreover, both employed persons and unemployed persons previously employed had been classified by industry and by status in employment in the 1982 census.

9.Publication of the census results:

The title of the publication containing the final census results is: Population, Emploi, Logements; Evolution 1975-1982-1990 (Série jaune), 1992.

The Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (INSEE), 18 boulevard Adolphe Pinard, 75675 Paris Cedex 14, is responsible for this publication.

The 1990 final census data are also available on diskettes, magnetic tapes and other formats on request.