Population and housing censuses by country
This is a list of national population and housing censuses.
Census advisory
The United Nations recommends a census enumeration at least once every ten years, and once every five years for even better data, rather than simply relying on estimates and projections alone. Complications to carrying out a census include tribal conflict, war, borders not demarcated, budget, inexperience, political snags, lack of manpower, and poor geographic information systems. A number of nations have not carried them out once a decade. It is not uncommon for a scheduled census to be deferred or delayed.Lebanon has not held a census since 1932. Afghanistan is closing in on five decades without a census. DRC and Uzbekistan stand out as not having a census since before 1990. Eritrea has only had one as a part of Ethiopia in the 1990s.
Methods of conducting population census
More countries are switching to using administrative data to hold a census. This allows a simulated census to be conducted by linking several different administrative databases at an agreed time.| Using administrative data/combined data | Using collected data |
| Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland | United Kingdom, United States, Japan |
Africa
Algeria
Population and housing censuses have been carried out in Algeria in 1966, 1977, 1987, 1998, 2008, and 2020.Angola
General censuses of population and housing were carried out in 1970 and 2014. The 1970 census counted 5,646,166 habitants. The 2014 census counted 25,789,024 habitants as of May 16, 2014.Benin
Population and housing censuses have been carried out in 1978, 1992, 2002 and 2013. 2013 census preliminary results have been published. Final results were published in 2015.Botswana
Censuses in Botswana are run by the Statistics Botswana. There have been twelve censuses in Botswana's history. The most recent occurred in April 2022.Burkina Faso
The Institut National de la Statistique et de la Demographie has conducted four censuses: in 1975, 1985, 1996, 2006 and 2019.Congo (DRC)
The first and so far only census conducted in DR Congo dates from 1984.Egypt
The Statistical Department of the Ministry of Finance conducted the first census in 1882, which considered as a preparatory step; the first true population census was conducted in 1897. Thereafter, censuses were conducted at ten-year intervals in 1907, 1917, 1927 and so on. The last one being in 2017.Ethiopia
Three censuses have been taken in Ethiopia: 1984, 1994 and in 2007. The responsible institution is the Central Statistical Agency. Most of the census in 2007 was taken in August, while the Somali Region and the Afar Region were not covered. The northern Afar region is a remote, hot and arid area. The eastern Somali region hosts a large nomadic Somali population and is a conflict area where Ethiopian regular forces are fighting against Ogaden National Liberation Front.Ivory Coast
Four general censuses of population and housing have been carried out in, the latest ones being in 1998 and 2014.Kenya
The first census in Kenya was conducted in 1948, when Kenya was still a colony administered by the British. Since 1969 census has been taken every ten years. The last census, overseen by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, was in 2019 and recorded a population of 47.6 million.Madagascar
Madagascar had its latest census in 2018, the third census to be conducted. It recorded a total resident population of 25,674,186 inhabitants.Mauritius
Population and housing censuses for Mauritius was collected in 1972, 1983, 2000, and 2011; although respondents were asked to identify their race/ethnic origin in the 1972 census, this question was dropped from the following censuses because "the government felt that it was a divisive question". The Statistics Act directed that all official censuses be conducted by Statistics Mauritius, as well as serve as the central depository for this information.Morocco
General censuses of population and housing have been carried out since independence in 1960, 1971, 1982, 1994, 2004 and 2014. The 2014 census results will be published onMozambique
The first census was taken in 1980. The second in 1997. The third was taken August 1–14, 2007. The fourth and most recent was taken in 2017.Namibia
In accordance with the Statistics Act No. 66 of 1976, Namibia conducts a Population and Housing Census every ten years. After independence the first one was carried out in 1991, further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011. In Namibia, the de facto method is used. For enumeration purposes the country is demarcated into 4,042 enumeration areas. These areas do not overlap with constituency boundaries to get reliable data for election purposes as well.Nigeria
Population censuses have been taken in Nigeria during colonial time in 1866, 1871, 1896, 1901, 1911, 1921 and 1952. The censuses covered only the southern part of the country except for the 1952 census which was country wide, and the censuses before 1921 were based on administrative estimates rather than on an actual enumeration.Censuses during independence were taken 1962, 1963, 1973, 1991 and 2006. The results of the 1962 census were considered inaccurate enough that a new census was ordered on February 19, 1963. The results from 1973 and 2006 were highly disputed, but no recounts were taken. The preliminary results for 2006 indicates a population of 140 million people. 700,000 enumerators were engaged in this operation.
Rwanda
Somalia
There has been only one successful census in Somalia, carried out in 1975. The 1986 census remained incomplete, and its results were never published.South Africa
The Cape of Good Hope conducted the first modern scientific census in 1865, following the principles laid down by the British Colonial Office and repeated the exercise in 1875 and 1891.23 The Orange Free State followed in 1880 and 1890, copying many of the features of the Cape of Good Hope.24 The South African Republic followed in 1890.However, the enumeration was restricted to the White population.After the South African War of 1899–1902, all the colonies undertook censuses in April 1904, but although broad coordination took place the results were presented according to the views of the four individual census commissioners.28 The detailed coordination of censuses evident in pre-federation Australia was therefore not in evidence in South Africa.
The establishment of the Union of South Africa as a British dominion in 1910 necessitated a new start to enumeration in the country and the statistical definition of the new state and ordering of its population through the census.
The first census of Union of South Africa was taken in 1911. Several enumerations have occurred since then, with the most recent three being carried out by Statistics South Africa in 1996, 2001, 2011 and 2022.
Sudan
Population censuses have been carried out in Sudan in 1955/56, 1973, 1983 and 1993. A census was conducted in April 2008. Some areas—namely Darfur, Juba, and Malakal—were difficult to measure.Togo
General population and housing censuses were carried out in 1960, 1970, 1981 and 2010.Tunisia
General censuses of population and housing have been carried out in 1921, 1926, 1931, 1936, 1946, 1956, 1966, 1975, 1984, 1994, 2004 and 2014. First results were published on September 12, 2014, the final results will be published between January and December 2015.Uganda
The first censuses in Uganda were taken in 1911, 1921 and 1931. It was done in a rather primitive way. The enumeration unit was 'huts' and not individuals. More scientific censuses were taken 1948 and 1959 where the enumeration unit was persons. The census was however divided into two separate enumerations, one for Africans, and one for the non-African population.The censuses during independence 1969, 1980, 1991 were taken jointly for all races. The censuses 1980 and 1991 included housing information and in addition a larger questionnaire for a sample of the population. However, the questionnaires for the 1980 were lost and only provisional figures are available from this census.
The census in 2002 involved some 50,000 enumerators and supervisors. It covered several topics including: population and housing; agriculture; and Micro- and small Enterprises administered at individual/household level. The Preliminary Results were published two weeks after the enumeration. The Final Results were released in March 2005, while the analytical findings and the district level results were scheduled to be released in the second quarter of 2006.
The next census was conducted in August 2014 under the theme of ‘Counting for Planning and Improved Service Delivery’. Provisional results were released in November 2014 and the main report was released in March 2016. In August 2024, the latest census was conducted under the theme of 'It matters to be counted'. The final report was released in December 2024.
Americas
Antigua and Barbuda
Population & Housing Censuses was carried out in 1991, 2001, and 2011. The 2011 census was released in May 2014.Argentina
National population censuses are carried out in Argentina roughly every ten years, the last ones having been carried out in 2001, October 27, 2010 and May 18, 2022.Barbados
Censuses on population sizes in Barbados are conducted by the Barbados Statistical Service. The last major census was conducted in 2021.Bolivia
Bolivia became independent from Spain on August 6, 1825, and since that time the country has managed to carry out around 11 population and housing censuses throughout its history as an independent country.The first population census of Bolivia was carried out in 1831 and four years later the second census was carried out in 1835, the third in 1845, the fourth in 1854 and finally the fifth census was in 1882, this being the last 19th century census.
During the 20th century, Bolivia only carried out four censuses; the first at the beginning of the century in 1900 and the second census was in 1950 already in the middle of the 20th century. The next census was carried out 26 years later in 1976 and the next census was carried out after 16 years in 1992, this being also the last of the century.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Bolivia carried out a new population census in 2001 and after 11 years the next census was carried out again in 2012. Currently and after 12 years, Bolivia will carry out its third census on March 23, 2024, this being the third population and housing census of the century