Sources and Methods: Labour Statistics
Volume 5: Population Censuses

Syrian Arab Republic

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

The Central Bureau of Statistics, Abou Rummaneh, Abdel Malek Ben Marwan Street, Damascus.

2.Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1960, 1970, 1976, 1981 and 1994. The present description relates to the 1994 population census (held on 3 September).

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 year preceding the date of interview.

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 year of birth.

Re (g): When using the short reference period, employed persons were asked to specify their usual hours of work and actual hours worked. When using the long reference period, employed persons were asked to specify the total period worked, expressed in number of months.

6.Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population

It comprises all persons aged 10 years and over who, at the time of the census, were either employed or unemployed according to the definitions given below. Questions on economic activity were asked of a 10 per cent sample. The definition includes all members of the armed forces. Working students with a part time job and students seeking work are excluded from the definition.

(b) Employment

Considered as employed are all persons who performed any work of an economic value for at least 18 hours during the week which finished with the visit of the numerator.

It is reported that the following categories are included:

  1. persons doing unpaid work in family firm or business;
  2. conscripts for military/civilian service;
  3. apprentices and trainees.
All above categories can be identified separately.

(c) Unemployment

Considered as unemployed are all persons who, during the reference week, were seeking, desiring and capable of work but did not find work.

7.Classifications used:

In the sample, both employed and unemployed persons previously employed are classified by industry, by occupation and by status in employment.

(a) Industry

For coding industry, the national classification was used, to the 3-digit level. Links to the ISIC-rev.3 have been established to the level classes (4-digit) level.

(b) Occupation

For coding occupation, the national classification was used to a 3-digit level. Links to the ISCO-88 have been established to the sub-major group (2-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment

Five groups were used for coding this variable: employer; self-employed; recipient of pay; unpaid family worker; unpaid apprentice.

8.Main differences compared with the previous census:

In 1981, only a short reference period was used (the week preceding the census date).

9.Publication of the census results:

The lapse of time between the census date and the publication of the census results should be approximatively one and half year.

The organization responsible is the Central Bureau of Statistics, Abou Roummaneh, Damascus.