Singapore Department of Statistics, 100 High Street, 05-01, The Treasury, Singapore 179434.
1947, 1957, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000. The present description relates to the 2000 census (held on 30 June).
(a) Geographical scope: Whole country. Key demographic data for the 2000 register-based census were obtained from the Household Registration Database. Detailed data were collected for a 20 per cent sample of households.
The week preceding the interview.
(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: yes
Re (a): The age is defined in terms of a person's date of birth (the person's age was computed thus: census date - date of birth).
Re (h): The census also collected information on other topics, such as: wages and salaries, including bonuses, average monthly earnings or profits (for self-employed persons) and mode of transport to workplace.
(a) Economically active population: It comprises all persons who were working and those who were actively looking for work, if not working, during the reference period.
(b) Employment: Considered as employed are all persons who during the reference period, worked for pay or profit. Included are all those who had a job but were on leave during the census, serving national service, as well as those who worked in a family business without fixed pay.
(c) Unemployment: An unemployed person is one who was not working during the reference period but was actively looking for work or planning to start his/her own business. An unemployed person who had a job or business prior to the reference period is classified as ‘Unemployed – previously worked’. A person who had never worked in any job or business prior to the reference period and was actively looking for his/her first job is classified as ‘Unemployed – never previously worked’.
Only employed persons are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.
(a) Industry: Based on the question: “What is the main type of business or activity this person’s firm is engaged in and main type of product(s)/service(s)?”. For coding industry, 152 minor groups (3-digit), 323 unit groups (4-digit) and 1072 items (5-digit codes) of the Singapore Standard Industrial Classification, 2000 (SSIC 2000) were used. Links to ISIC-rev.3 have been established to the tabulation category (1-digit) level.
(b) Occupation: Based on the questions: “What is this person’s job title?” and “What are this person’s main tasks and duties?”. For coding occupation, 119 minor groups (3-digit), 274 unit groups (4-digit) and 993 occupations (5-digit codes) of the Singapore Standard Occupational Classification (SSOC 2000) were used. Links to ISCO-88 have been established to the major group (1-digit) level.
(c) Status in employment: Based on the question: “Indicate this person’s occupational status: (i) self-employed without paid help; (ii) self-employed with paid help; (iii) helping in family business without fixed or regular pay; (iv) working as an employee for wages or salaries; (v) serving National Service”. For coding status in employment, the above five categories were used.
(d) Level of education: Based on the question: “If this person is not a full-time student, what is his/her Highest grade passed or Qualification attained?”. For coding the data the following groups were used: (i) No qualification; (ii) Primary; (iii) Lower Secondary; (iv) Secondary; (v) Upper Secondary; (vi) Polytechnic Diploma; (vii) Other Diploma; (viii) University. The Singapore Standard Educational Classification (SSEC) was drawn up based on Singapore’s current educational system and formal educational qualifications awarded.
In the 2000 census data on economic characteristics were based on a 20 per cent sample of households, whilst in the 1990 census data were based on a complete population count.
The final data relating to the 2000 census was published in the publication entitled “Census of Population 2000, Statistical Release 3 - Economic Characteristics”.
The organization responsible for this publication is the Census of Population Office, Department of Statistics, Singapore.
The census results are not available in other forms.