Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

El Salvador

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

Dirección General de Estadística y Censos, 1a. Calle Poniente y 43 Avenida Norte, San Salvador, El Salvador.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1950, 1961, 1971 and 1992. The present description relates to the 1992 population census (held on 27 September).

3.Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope

Whole country.

(b) Persons covered

All persons of all ages.

4.Reference period:

The week preceding the census date.

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): Relates to the usual hours of work of employed persons at work during the reference period.

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. Members of the armed forces are included in the definition.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons who worked during the reference week. The question used is: The week prior to the census day, did you: Work for remuneration in cash or in kind? Work for someone else without remuneration? Not work, but have a job or your own firm or farm? Seek work, having previously been employed? Seek work for the first time (not previously employed)? Not seek work because you did not think you could find any? Engage exclusively in homemaking? Study exclusively? Are you retired, or do you have a pension or your own means of support? Were you confined? Do you have a permanent disability which prevents you from working? Other?.

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.
Persons falling in categories (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) can be identified separately by means of their responses to specific questions.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference week, were without work and seeking work. Included in the definition are persons who had made arrangements to begin working after the reference week, persons who were temporarily or permanently laid off and not receiving remuneration, and persons who did not think that they could find work.

7.Classifications used:

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

(a) Industry

The questions used to determine industry group are Where do you work or did you last work (on a farm, in a factory, in a machine shop, in a private or public office, on the street, etc.) and What do you do or produce, or what is the line of business and product of the establishment where you work or last worked?. For coding industry, the ISIC-rev.3 was used to the 4-digit level.

(b) Occupation

The question used to determine occupation group is What is your occupation, job or function in your current or most recent job? For coding occupation, the ISCO-88 was used to the unit group level.

(c) Status in employment

The question used to determine status in employment is In this job are you, or were you: public sector employee or worker, private sector employee or worker, proprietor or employer, unpaid family worker, self-employed, household employee, member of a producers' cooperative, other?. For coding this variable, these eight groups were used.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

No major difference.

9.Publication of the census results:

The final census results were published in December 1995.

The title of the publication containing the final census results is V Censos nacionales de población.

The organization responsible for this publication is Dirección General de Estadística y Censos, 1a. Calle Poniente y 43 Avenida Norte, San Salvador, El Salvador.

The census results are also available in the form of unpublished tables.