Viet Nam

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

Population and Labour Department, General Statistics Office (GSO), 2 Hoang Van Thu Street, Hanoi.

2. Population censuses conducted since 1945 (years):

1979, 1989 and 1999.  The present description relates to the 1999 population census (held on 31 March).

3. Coverage of the census:

(a) Geographical scope: Whole country.     

(b) Persons covered: De jure population.

4. Reference period:

At midnight between 31 March and 1 April 1999, and the 12 months prior to the census for questions relating to economic activity. 

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:  no             

(f) Highest educational level:  yes

(g) Hours of work:  no

(h) Other characteristics:  yes

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

Re (g):  Employed persons were asked to specify the number of weeks or months they had actually worked during the last 12 months prior to the census.

Re (h): The census also collected information on the economic sector in which a person works.  The following six groups were used to classify this variable: state; collective; private; household; mixed; foreign.

6. Concepts and definitions:

(a) Economically active population:  It comprises all persons aged 13 years and over who, during the reference period, were either employed or unemployed, according to the definitions given below. 

(b) Employment:  Considered as employed are all persons for whom paid work has accounted for the largest share of their working time during the 12 months prior to the census. The question used to determine whether a person is to be counted as employed is “What is the type of work he/she spent most of his/her time on during the last 12 months?  1) Worked; 2) Household work; 3) Student; 4) Unable to work; 5) Unemployed – have demand for work; 6) Other – have no demand for work”.    

 (c) Unemployment: Considered as unemployed are all persons for whom paid work has not accounted for the largest share of their working time during the 12 months prior to the census and they had demand for work.  The question used to determine whether a person is to be counted as unemployed is the same as that indicated above under 6(b). 

7. Classifications used:

Only employed persons are classified by industry and by occupation.          

(a) Industry:   Based on the questions “Did he/she work for the State or for some other socio-economic organisation?”, “What is the name of the office/enterprise where he/she works?” and “What is the main function/product of the office/enterprise where he/she works?”.  For coding industry, all groups of the national classification were used.  The national classification was revised on the basis of ISIC-rev.3.

(b) Occupation:  Based on the question “What was the main job that he/she performed and what position did he/she hold (if any) during the last 12 months?”.   For coding occupation, all groups of the national classification were used.    Links to ISCO-88 have been established at the unit group (4-digit) level.

(c) Status in employment: No classification was made.

(d) Level of education:  Based on the question “What is the highest educational level that he/she is attending or has completed?”.  For coding this variable the following groups were used:  1) General school; 2) Junior College; 3) University (under-graduate); 4) Post-graduate.

Links to ISCED-97 have been established.                

8. Main differences compared with the previous census:

No major differences with regard to economic activity.

9. Publication of the census results:

I.          Preliminary results:

-     Viet Nam Population and Housing Census 1999: Preliminary Results (9-1999).

II.         Three-percent sample results:

-     Vietnam Population and Housing Census 1999: Sample Results (8-2000); 

-     Summary Report on sample results (Photocopy, 3-2000);

-     Computer printout tables on 3% sample results (1-2000);

-     Brochure “The 1999 Population and Housing Census” (5-2000);

-     Micro database together with software package used for producing tabulations from the 3% sample results (9-2000);

-     Monograph on fertility and mortality (12-2000);

-     Monograph on migration and urbanization (12-2001);

-     Monograph on labour and employment (12-2001).

III.       Completed results:

-     System of computer printout tables on completed results (4-2001);

-     Summary report on completed results (4-2001);

-     Brochure “The 1999 Population and Housing Census: Completed results (4-2001);

-     Macro database on tables of completed results on CD-ROM and GSOnet (6-2001);

      -     Electronic population atlas for provincial and district levels using the POPMAP software package (7-2001).   

The organizations responsible for the publication of the census results are the Department of Integrated Statistics and Information and the Department of Population and Labour, GSO, 2 Hoang Van Thu Street, Hanoi.