POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHIC MEASURES

Concepts and Definitions for Basic MDG Indicators

An Occasional Working Paper Produced

By

Sonkarley T. Beaie
Peter Acol

Consultants

Ministry of Finance/UNDP Project

Developing Institutional Capacity for Budget Planning,
Monitoring and Evaluation

November 2009

Bureau of Statistics
57 High Street, Kingston
Georgetown
Guyana
Telephone: 227-1155
Website: http://statisticsguyana.gov.gy
 CONTENTS

Page

Introduction 3

Chapter I: Methodological Concepts and Definitions 3

1.1 General Information 3

1.2 Mortality 4
1.3 Fertility 5
1.4 Population Growth 6
1.5 Migration 7
1.6 Labour Force 7
1.7 Education 8

Population Terminology – Quick Reference 11

Chapter II: Concepts and Definitions for Census and Surveys 19

2.1 Building 19
2.1.1. Building definition 19
2.1.2. Closed building 19
2.1.3. Vacant building 19
2.2 Dwelling Unit 19
2.2.1. Dwelling unit definition 19
2.2.2. Closed dwelling unit 19
2.2.3. Vacant dwelling unit 20
2.2.4. Private dwelling unit 20
2.3 Private Household 20
2.4 Head of Household 21
2.5 Institutional Households 21
2.6 Transient Population 22
2.7 Visitation Record 22
2.8 Census Night 22
2.9 The Reference Time and Date 22
2.10 CATEGORIES OF RESIDENCE STATUS 23
2.10.1. Resident Present (RP) 23
2.10.2 Resident Absent (RA) 24
2.10.3 Visitors (V) 24
2.11. Other Special Categories of Resident 24
2.11.1. Foreign Diplomats 24

2
2.11.2 Foreign Residents 24
2.11.3 Guyanese Diplomats 24
2.11.4 Students Abroad 25
2.11.5 Other Workers Abroad 25
2.11.6 Foreign Students 25
2.11.7 Civil Servants 25
2.11.8 Homeless Persons 25
2.11.9 Newborns 25
2.11.10 Dead Persons 25
2.11.11 Visitors arriving after census night 26

REFERENCES 26

2
INTRODUCTION

Guyana launched the DevInfo data management system (GuyD_Info) in October, 2009,
in an attempt to provide a common database system for tracking national human
development indicators. The DevInfo is a United Nations data management technology
system specifically designed to support governments in monitoring the millennium
development goals (MDG). Generally, “by serving as a common database, DevInfo can
be used to add value to national statistics systems by complementing existing databases
and bridging data dissemination gaps”. However, despite the unique feature of the
software, it is not a data production tool; thus implying that the DevInfo system only
deals with clean data set, that is, all indicators placed into the system must first be
calculated using appropriate methodologies and software, such as MORTPAK, PASEX,
SPSS, etc. or using manual calculation. Due to this limitation, this work seeks to address
the followings:

• Adapt common and simple concepts and definitions to be used across the line
ministries and agencies involved in the use and production of data;
• Provide simple way and formula to calculate the basic MDG indicators;
• Establish common concepts and definitions for census and surveys; and
• Provide simple demographic terminology for the general public.

CHAPTER I: METHODOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS

This section contains some basic demographic concepts and definitions and a “Quick
Calculation Reference Guide for the Terms”. The reference guide has been designed
to provide a common way in which people with little or no demographic knowledge can
easily use desk-calculator or computer excel program to calculate their indicators.

1.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1.1 Carrying Capacity: The maximum sustainable size of a resident population in a

given ecosystem.

1.1.2 Less developed countries: Less developed countries include all countries in
Africa, Asia (excluding Japan), and Latin America and the Caribbean, and the
regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

1.1.3 More developed countries: More developed countries include all countries in
Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

3
1.1.4 Population Policy: Explicit or implicit measures instituted by a government to
influence the population size, growth, distribution, or composition.

1.1.5 Vital statistics: Data concerning life events such as births, deaths, marriage,
migration, etc.

1.2 MORTALITY

1.7.1 Age specific death rates (ASDR’s): Number of deaths occurring within a
specific age group divided by the number of persons in that same age group.

1.7.2 Crude death rate: Number of deaths in a given year divided by the total
population in that year multiplied by 1000.

1.7.3 Infant mortality rate: Death of children less than one year of age. The two
methods used to calculate infant death rate are given below:

1.2.3.1 Direct method: This method uses vital statistics record, and is derived by
dividing number of deaths to children less than one year of age in a given year by
the number of births in that same year multiplied by 1000.

1.2.3.2 Indirect method (Brass P/F Ratio): This method was developed to derive robust
estimates of infant and child mortality rates, because death registrations for many
developing countries are incomplete at most either due to failure to cover the
entire geographic regions or failure to register all vital events in the established
area. The required data is children ever born and children surviving, all classified
by five year-age group of childbearing women. Detailed procedure to calculate is
given in United Nations Manual X1 or use MORTPAK.4 if the Software is
available.

1.2.4 Life Expectancy: The average number of additional years a person of a given age
is expected to live if current mortality trends were to continue for the rest of that
person's life. It is most commonly referred to as life expectancy at birth.

1.2.5 Maternal death: Death of a woman while in pregnancy or within 42 days of

termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration or site of the pregnancy,
from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but
not from accidental causes”. For example, a pregnant woman killed in a car
accident or stabbed in a fight is not considered a maternal death.

1
United Nations Manual X (1983): Indirect Techniques for Demographic Estimation (UN Publication,
Sales No. E.83.XIII.2). Page 73 or at:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/Manual_X/Manual_X.htm

4
1.3 FERTILITY

1.3.1 Age-specific birth rates: Number of births occurring to a specific age group of
women divided by the number of women in that same age group.

1.3.2 Average Parity/Children Ever Born (CEB): An aggregate measure of lifetime

fertility experience for a woman or group of women up to the moment at which
the data are collected. In the absence of misreporting, the result in average parities
will increase rapidly with increases in age. Errors are suspected when average
parities for women in some age groups, particularly, the older women, aged 40-44
and 45-49, fall below average parities for the preceding age group, for instance,
women aged 35-39 years.

1.3.3 Child-woman Ratio: The number of children under 5 years old per 100 women
15 – 44 years of age, both as enumerated in a census.

1.3.4 Crude birth rate: The number of births in a given year divided by the total
population in that year multiplied by 1000.

1.3.5 Fecundity: The physiological capacity of a woman to produce a child.

1.3.6 Fertility: The actual reproductive performance of an individual, a couple, a

group, or a population.

1.3.7 General Fertility Rate: The number of live births per 1000 women ages 15-44 or
15-49 years in a given year.

1.3.8 Reproduction Rate: Measures the replacement of the female population that will
sustain the growth of the population. For instance, a rate of 1.00 (or 100 or 1000,
depending on the value of the constant ‘k’) means exact replacement, a rate above
unity indicates that the population is more than replacing itself, and a rate below
unity means the population is not replacing itself. Thus, reproduction rate has high
correlation with whatever happens to the size of population over time, for
example, the higher the number of girl babies, the higher the growth rate of the
population and vice versa. Gross and net reproduction rates used as key indicators
for the study of reproduction rate are given below:

1.3.8.1 Gross reproduction rate (GRR): Measures total number of daughters a cohort
of women will have, and can be obtained by multiplying total fertility rate by the
proportion of the total births that were females in a calendar year or dividing TFR
by the total sex ratio.

1.3.8.2 Net reproduction rate (NRR): Measures the net number of girl babies a cohort
of women will bear during their lifetime; assuming a fixed schedule of age-

5
 specific fertility rates and mortality rates. The NRR is derived by multiplying age-
specific birth rates by the corresponding survival rates obtained from an
appropriate female life table (see formula in the Quick Reference table).

1.3.9 Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The average number of children that would be born
alive to a woman (or group of women) during her lifetime, if she were to pass
through her childbearing years conforming to the age-specific fertility rates of a
given year.

1.4 POPULATION GROWTH

1.4.1 Age Dependency Ratio (ADR): Number of aged dependent population defined as
population aged 0-14 and 65 and over divided by the population 15-64, multiplied
by 100. This ratio can be influenced by the three main factors (fertility, mortality
and migration) of population growth.

1.4.2 Age-sex structure: The composition of a population as determined by the number

or proportion of males and females in each age category. The age-sex structure of
a population is the cumulative result of past trends in fertility, mortality, and
migration.

1.4.3 Demographic Transition: The historical shift of birth and death rates from high
to low levels in a population. The decline of mortality usually precedes the
decline in fertility, thus resulting in rapid population growth during the transition
period.

1.4.4 Doubling Time: The number of years required for the population of an area to
double its present size, given the current rate of population growth.

1.4.5 Population Growth Rate: The number of persons added to (or subtracted from) a
population in a year due to natural increase and net migration expressed as a
percentage of the population at the beginning of the time period.

1.4.6 Population Increase: The total population increase resulting from the interaction
of births, deaths, and migration in a population in a given period of time.

1.4.7 Population Projection: Computation of future changes in population numbers,

given certain assumptions about future trends in the rates of fertility, mortality,
and migration. Demographers often produce low, medium, and high projections
of the same population, based on different assumptions of how these rates will
change in the future.

1.4.8 Population Momentum: The tendency for population growth to continue beyond
the time that replacement-level fertility has been achieved because of the
relatively high concentration of people in the childbearing years.

6
1.4.9 Population Pyramid: A bar chart, arranged vertically, that shows the distribution
of a population by age and sex. By convention, the younger ages are at the
bottom, with males on the left and females on the right.

1.4.10 Rate of Natural Increase (or Decrease): The rate at which a population is
increasing (or decreasing) in a given year due to a surplus (or deficit) of births
over deaths, expressed as a percentage of the base population.

1.4.11 Zero population growth: A population in equilibrium, with a growth rate of

zero, achieved when births plus immigration equal deaths plus emigration.

1.5 MIGRATION

1.5.1 Immigration Rate: The number of immigrants arriving at a destination per 1000
population at that destination in a given year.

1.5.2 Emigration Rate: The number of emigrants/citizens departing from a country at

a destination per 1000 population at that destination in a given year.

1.5.3 Net Migration Rate: The net effect of immigration and emigration on an area's
population, expressed as an increase or decrease per 1000 population of the area
in a given year.

1.6 LABOUR FORCE MEASURES

1.6.1 Economically Active Population (Labour Force): Those members of the

working age population (15 years and over) who are both employed and
unemployed. The employed component includes those who during the reference
period “worked” plus those who “had a job” but were on leave/vacation. On the
other hand, the unemployed component is determined by a measurement of those
persons who are without a job but want a job, are available for a job and are
actively looking for a job. In most cases, the latter category of ‘actively looking
for a job’ is relaxed to ensure that those persons who have stopped looking
through disillusionment are nevertheless captured as part of the unemployed.

1.6.2 Economically Inactive Population: All persons of the working age group (15
years and over) who do not furnish the supply of labour for the production of
economic goods and services. They include students, homemakers, retired persons
and persons whose disability prevented them from working.

1.6.3 Labour Force Participation Rate: Number of persons in the working age group
reported in a census or survey classified as economically active relative to the
total size of the working age population.

7
1.6.4 Working Age Population: All members of the population who are 15 years and
above.

1.6.5 Age-Specific Activity Rates (ASAR’s): Number of persons economically active

within a specific age group divided by total number of persons within the same
corresponding age group.

1.6.6 Economic Dependent Population: All members of the population, who from
social point of view do not produce any economic goods and services, though
they may be independent financially, for instance, receiving personal incomes in
the form of pensions, rents, dividends, remittances from abroad, and so on.

1.6.7 Economic Dependency Ratio: Number of dependent population relative to the

size of the working population (i.e., economically active population).

1.7 EDUCATION

1.7.1 Illiteracy Rate: Number of adult 15 years and over who did not complete
primary education, that is, did not complete 6th grade or standard 4. From this
definition, literacy is a dichotomous variable which provides one index of the
minimum level of educational output, against educational backdrops, and
measured from the barest minimum level to quite fluent level.

1.7.2 Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) = Measures the general level of
participation of young children in early childhood development programmes. It
also indicates a country's capacity to prepare young children for primary
education.

1.7.3 Intake Rate: Indicates accessibility as the proportion of children, out of all
children of admission age, who are coming to school for the first time. Two
indicators are used in this regards,
• Apparent intake rate, and
• Net intake rate

1.7.3.1 Apparent intake rate (AIR): Total number of new entrants in the first grade of
primary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the population
at the official primary (i.e. 5 years for Guyana) school entrance age.

1.7.3.2 Net intake rate (NIR): the percentage of all children of the official entrance age
(age 5 years) who are new entrants in grade 1.

Note: The difference between these two ratios indicates the amount of deviation
from the official age intake. Thus, a continued or increasing deviation may imply
that the policy of official admission age may need to be changed to accommodate
the real demographic structure of the demand for education.

8
1.7.4 Indicators of Coverage and Participation
Coverage and participation are measured by comparing the children enrolled in
school with the total school age population. Enrolment ratios are used to measure
the extent of coverage of an educational programme. There are two types of
enrolment ratios:
• Gross enrolment ratio; and
• Net enrolment ratio

1.7.4.1 Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): shows the overall coverage of an educational
system in relation to the population eligible for participation in the system. It is
useful for those who are interested in the overall participation of the school-age
population, including both primary and secondary levels.

1.7.4.2 Net Enrolment Ratio (NER): Gives a more precise measurement of the extent of
participation in particular level of education of children belonging to the official
school age at that level of education.

1.7.5 System Performance Indicators: An education programme is measured by four

key indicators. Data required to measure the System Performance Indicators are
as follow:
• Enrolments by grade for two consecutive years
• Repeaters by grade for the year 2
• In and out transfer pupils (Optional)

1.7.5.1 Promotion Rate: is the proportion of pupils who have successfully completed a
grade and proceeded to the next grade the following year.

1.7.5.2 Repetition Rate: the proportion of pupils who repeat a grade once or twice. The
repetition rate of grade g, year y is obtained by dividing repeaters of grade g, year
y+1, by enrolment in grade g, year y.

1.7.5.3 Drop-out rate: the proportion of pupils who leave the system without completing
a given grade in a given school year.

1.7.5.4 Percentage of Repeaters: Percentage of repeaters at a particular grade.

1.7.6 Measuring Quality of Education: Three key indicators are used to measure
quality of education. These are:
• Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR)
• Pupil Class Ratio (PCR)
• Percentage of trained teachers

1.7.6.1 Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR): One of the most common indicators used in
educational planning. It is believed that a low number of pupils per teacher
indicates pupils will have a better chance of contact with the teachers and hence a

9
 better teaching/learning process. This ratio is also used to measure the level of
human resource input (teachers).

1.7.5.2 Pupil Class Ratio (PCR): The average number of pupils per class is an important
indicator which gives a rough indication of class size. It is used to assess the
efficiency of resource utilization. Also, it is used, indirectly, to assess the
teaching/learning process, and defined as the number of pupils to the number of
class rooms.

1.7.6.3 Percentage of Trained Teachers: Indicates the magnitude of quality teaching

force in education and defined as the number of school teachers with at least the
minimum academic qualifications required by the public authorities for teaching
in primary or secondary schools, expressed as a percentage of the total number of
primary or secondary school teachers.

10
 Population Terminology – Quick Reference2
Indicators Descriptions Formula
Age and Sex Composition
The number of population aged 0-14 (< 15 + > 64)/ 15 > Pop <64
Age-Dependency
and 65 and over divided by the *K
Ratio (ADR)
population 15-64, multiplied by 100
Age-sex # of pop in age (i)/Total pop
structure x 100
Median Age Exactly ½ is older and ½ is younger
Md = Lm + {[(N (0.50) –cf
below]}*i}/f
Where Lm = lower limit of
the medianth class
N = total number of
observations
cf = cumulative frequency
before the medianth class
i= class interval
f = frequency in the medianth
class.
Sex Ratio ratio of number of males to 100 #of males/# of females *K
females in a given year
Fertility
Average parity / CEB is an aggregate measure of
(CEB) lifetime fertility experience for a CEB = #of CEB of women
woman or age group of women up to in age group (i)/Total #of
the moment at which the data are women in that same age
collected. group (i).
i = represents each of the 7
childbearing age groups, i.e.,
replacing ‘i’ with 1 means
age group = 15-19, with 2
means age group = 20-24,
and so on.
Crude Birth Rate #of live births per 1000 population in a CBR = #of live births/ total
(CBR) given year population *K
General Fertility #of live births per 1000 women ages # of live births/ 15 > women
Rate (GFR) 15-49 in a given year < 49 * 1000
# of live births to specific
Age-Specific
Number of live births within specific age group/# of women in
Fertility Rates
age group of women in a given year that age group
(ASFR’S)

2
Courtesy: Janet Braiwaite. Based on The Population Reference Bureau’s Population Handbook,
International Edition.

11
Completed # of "children ever born" to women > Total # of live births to
Fertility Rate 49 women >49/#women >49*K
Average # of live births that would be Summation of age-specific
Total Fertility born to a woman during her life time if fertility rates multiply by 5.
Rate (TFR) she conformed to the age-specific (See formula for ASFR’s)
fertility rates of a given year.
(Total fertility rate /total sex
Average # of daughters that would be ratio. For instance, if TFR is
Gross
born to a woman during her life time if 3.7 and the sex ratio at birth
Reproduction
she conformed to the age-specific is 1.03, then GRR =
Rate (GRR)
fertility rates of a given year 3.7/2.03. (See formula for
TFR).
Average # of daughters that would be
Summation of {(age-specific
Net born to a woman during her life time if
birth rates X survival rate3 of
Reproduction she conformed to the age-specific
women in age group (i))*5}
Rate (NRR) fertility rates and maternal mortality
/total sex ratio
rates of a given year
Level of fertility at which a cohort of
women, on the average, have only
Replacement
enough daughters to “replace See NNR
Level Fertility
themselves in the population. NRR =
1.0 is replacement level.
Child-Woman #of children under 5 per 1,000 women #of children < 5/ 15>
Ratio (CWR) ages 15-49 women< 49 * K
Marital Fertility # live births per 1000 married women #of live births/# married
Rate ages 15-49 in a given year women ages 15-49 * K
#of live births per 1,000 unmarried
Out-of-Wedlock #of live births/# unmarried
women (single, widowed, or divorced)
Birth Ratio women ages 15-49 * K
ages 15-49 in a given year
#of abortions per 1000 live births in a # of abortions/# live births *
Abortion Ratio
given year K
Mortality
Crude Death #of deaths per 1000 population in a
# of deaths/Total Pop * K
Rate (CDR) given year.
Age-Specific # of deaths in age group
Death Rates Death rates within specific age group. (i)/Tot Pop of age group (i) *
(ASDR”S) K
Cause-Specific Deaths per 100,000 due to specific # of deaths from a specific
Death Rates cause cause/Tot Pop * K
Proportion Dying
Deaths of a specific cause expressed as # of deaths in group / Total
of a Specific
a percentage of all deaths Deaths*K
Cause
Infant Mortality #of deaths to infants under one year of IMR = # of deaths of infants
Rate (IMR) age per 1000 births in a given year <1 year / Tot Births * K

3
Survival rates can be obtained from female life table

12
 # of fetal deaths after 28 weeks of
Perinatal PMR = (# fetal deaths +
pregnancy (late fetal deaths) plus the
Mortality Rate infants deaths < 7 days)/ Tot
number of deaths to infants under 7
(PMR) live births * K
days of age per 1000 live births
Post neonatal # of infant deaths at 28 days to one PNMR = # of infant deaths
Mortality Rate year per 1000 live births in a given >28 and less than one year/
(PNMR) year Tot live births * K
# of women who die while in pregnant
or within 42 days of termination of
pregnancy, irrespective of the duration
Maternal
or site of the pregnancy, from any MRR = #of maternal deaths/
Mortality Rate
cause related to or aggravated by the Tot live births * K
(MRR)
pregnancy or its management, but not
from accidental causes per 100,000
births in that year.
The estimate is based on
Est. of the average number of years a age-specific death rates,
person can expect to live based on the using manual calculation by
Life Expectancy
age-specific death rates for a given conversion of ASDR’S into
year. Usually given separate by sex. probabilities of deaths or
using MORTPAK.4.
Morbidity
# of persons contracting a disease # of persons developing a
Incidence Rate during a given time period per 100, disease during a given time
1000 or per 100,000 population at risk. period/ Tot Pop at Risk * K
#of persons having a disease at a given
# of persons with a specific
Prevalence Rate point in time per 1,000 population at
disease/ Tot Pop at Risk * K
risk
# of reported cases of a specific # of reported cases of a
Case Rate disease or illness per 100,000 disease during a given year/
population during a given year. Tot Pop * K
# of persons dying from the
Case Fatality the proportion of persons contracting a
disease/# persons developing
Rate disease who die from that disease
the disease * K
Nuptiality
Crude Marriage # of marriages per 1,000 total
# of marriages/Tot Pop * K
Rate population in a given year
Singulate Mean Mean age at first marriage among Detail formula for
Age at First those who ever marry (or in practice, calculation can be found in
United Nations
Marriage among those who marry by some Manual X4:
(SMAM) predetermined age-limit).

4
UN Manual X (1983): Indirect Techniques for Demographic Estimation (United Nations publication,
Sales No. E.83.XIII.2). Page 225 or at:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/Manual_X/Manual_X.htm

13
Crude Divorce # of divorces per 1000 population in a
# of divorces/ Tot Pop * K
Rate given year.
#of remarriages/ Tot Pop of
# of remarriages per 1000 population
widowed and divorced
Remarriage Rate of currently divorced or widowed men
women or widowed and
or women
divorced men * K
Migration
# of immigrants arriving at a
Immigration #of immigrants/ Tot Pop at
destination per 1000 population at that
Rate destination * K
destination in a given year
#of emigrants departing an area of
#of emigrants/ Tot Pop at
Emigration Rate origin per 1000 population at that area
origin * K
of origin in a given year
Net effect of immigration and
Net Migrations immigrants - emigrants
emigration on an area's population
Net effect of immigration and
emigration on an area's population,
Net Migration (#of immigrants - #of
expressed as increase or decrease per
Rate emigrants)/ Tot Pop * K
1000 population of the area in a given
year
Race and Ethnicity
Distinguishes people on the basis of
Pop of a given ethnicity/ Tot
Ethnicity cultural characteristics such as
Pop * K
language or national origin.
A race is a human population that is
believed to be distinct in some way
from other humans based on real or Pop of a given race/ Tot Pop
Race
imagined physical differences, such as *K
skin colour, facial characteristics, hair
form, body build, and stature.
Foreign Born Persons born outside of the borders or Foreign born persons/ Tot
Population territories of a country Pop * K
Households and Families
One or more persons who occupy a Total #of persons living in
single housing unit. Households households/Tot Households
Household
consist of unrelated persons or persons = average size (#of persons
related by birth, marriage or adoption. per) of household.
Married couple
families/Family Households
Two or more persons residing together * K
Family
related by birth, marriage or adoption. =proportion of family
households headed by
married couples.
Singe-Parent Single-parent families have children Single-parent families/ Tot
Families maintained by one parent as a result of households * K

14
 an out-of-wedlock birth, divorce, = proportion of households
separation or death of a spouse. maintained by a single
parent.
Education
IR = #of adults 15 years &
Number of adults 15 years and over over with less than primary
Illiteracy Rate with less than primary education, education (<6th grade or
(IR) expressed as a proportion of the same below standard 4)
total adult population. education/Total pop aged 15
years & over x100

A) Measuring Access and Participation in Education

Early childhood care education
Percent of New
(ECCE) is percentage of new entrants % = New entrants with
Entrants with
to primary grade 1 who have attended ECCE experience/Total #of
ECCE
some form of organized early new entrants x 100
experience
childhood development programme.
(1). AIR = Total #of new
entrants to grade 1 (all
ages)/Total #of official
AIR indicates the general level of primary school entrance age
access to primary education. Also (5 years) population x
Apparent Intake shows the capacity of the education 100.
Rate (AIR) system to provide access to grade 1 for (2). If data not available
the official school-entrance age AIR = (Pupils in grade 1) –
population. (Repeaters in grade 1)/ Total
#of official primary school
entrance age (5 years)
population x 100
NIR = Total #of grade 1
pupils of the official school
NIR is the percentage of all children of
Net Intake Rate entrance age (5 years) /Total
the official entrance age (age 5 years)
(NIR) #of official primary school
who are new entrants in grade 1.
entrance age (5 years) pop
x100
This indicator shows the overall
Gross Enrolment coverage of an educational system in
Ratio (GER) relation to the population eligible for
participation in the system.
Number of children enrolled in early
childhood education programme, GER
GER Early ECCE = Total Enrolment
regardless of age, divided by the in ECCE programmes/Total
Childhood Care
population in the official age-group Pop (3 – 4 years) x 100
and Education
(for Guyana 3 to 4 years) in a given
(GERECCE)
school-year, and multiplied by 100.

15
 Number of children enrolled in
GERPRI+SEC = Enrolment in
GER for primary and secondary education
both primary and secondary
Primary and programme, regardless of age, divided
levels/ Population of age-
Secondary by the population in the official age-
groups (5 – 11 + 12 – 18
School group (for Guyana 5 – 11 and 12 – 18
years) for primary and
(GERPRI+SEC) years) in a given school-year, and
secondary levels x100
multiplied by 100.
Number of children enrolled in
GERPRI = Enrolment in
primary education programme,
GER for primary level/ Population of
regardless of age, divided by the
Primary School official age-group (5 – 11
population in the official age-group
(GERPRI) years) for primary level
(for Guyana 5 – 11) in a given school-
x100
year, and multiplied by 100.
Number of children enrolled in
(GERSEC) = Enrolment in
GER for secondary education programme,
secondary level/ Population
Secondary regardless of age, divided by the
of official age-group (12 -18
School population in the official age-group
years) for secondary level
(GERSEC) (for Guyana 12 – 18) in a given
x100
school-year, and multiplied by 100.
NER is enrolment for example in
NER = Enrolment of the
primary education of the official
official primary school age
Net Enrolment primary school age group expressed as
(5-11 years)/ Population of
Ratio (NER) a percentage of the corresponding
official primary school age
population.
(5 – 11 years) x 100
B) Measuring Quality of Education
PTR is the average number of pupils PTR = Total #of pupils in
Pupil Teacher
per teacher in primary education in a primary school level/ Total
Ratio (PTR)
given school-year. #of teachers at the level
PCR is the number of pupils to the
PCR =Total number of
number of class rooms. It gives a
Pupil Class Ratio pupils in a given level/ Total
rough indication of class size and used
(PCR) number of sections at the
to assess the efficiency of resource
level.
utilization.
Number of school teachers with at
Total number of i.e., primary
least the minimum academic
teachers with at least the
qualifications required by the public
Percentage of minimum academic
authorities for teaching in primary or
Trained Teachers qualifications/ Total number
secondary schools, expressed as a
of primary teachers at that
percentage of the total number of
level x100
primary or secondary school teachers.
Urbanization and Distribution
Total Population/ Total land
Population # of people per unit of land area; and area
Density often given in terms of arable land.

16
 Population living in urban areas
#of persons living in urban
Percent Urban expressed as a percentage of the total
areas/Tot Pop * K
population.
Population living in rural areas
#of persons living in rural
Percent Rural expressed as a percentage of the total
areas/Tot Pop * K
population.
Population Change
P2 = P1 + (B - D) + (I - E)
Where:
P = pop at later date
Basic method of calculating numerical 2
The Balancing P = pop at earlier date
population change over time using 1
Equation B = Births
information from vital statistics.
D = Deaths
I = Immigration
E = Emigration
Surplus (or deficit) of births over
Natural Increase deaths in a population in a given time NI = B - D
period.
(#of births in a given period
Rate a population is increasing (or
of time) - (#of deaths in that
decreasing) in a given year due to a
same given period of time) /
surplus (or deficit) of births over
Rate of Natural Total mid-year pop * K
deaths, expressed as a percentage of
Increase
the base population. This rate does not
or:
include the effects of immigration or
emigration.
Birth rate - Death rate
(Births - Deaths + Net
Rate at which a population is
migration)/ Tot Pop * K
increasing (or decreasing) in a given
year due to natural increase and net
Growth Rate OR:
migration, expressed as a percentage
of the base population. Never confuse
Rate of natural increase +
this with Birth Rate.
Net migration rate
R = {(P2 – P1)/P1}/N*100
Where R = growth rate
Basic method of calculating growth
Arithmetic P & P2 = Pop at time t1 and
rate using information from two 1
Growth Rate t2 respectively.
successive censuses.
N = # of years (or the
intercensal period)
P2 = P1 + P1*rt
Where P2 = population
Basic method of estimating population estimate
Population
using information from any base P1 = base period population
Estimate
population and growth rate. r = growth rate
t = time ‘t’

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 Formula 1: t = ln2/{ln(1 +
(r/100)}
Where t = doubling time (in
years) and ‘r’ = growth rate
(in percent per year).
Time at current growth rate, a
Doubling Time population would take to double in
size. Formula 2 - Quick
calculation:
t = 70/r
Note: Express the growth
rate (%) for formula 2 as an
integer.
Stage I: High birth rate, high death rate
= modest growth
Stage II: High birth rate, falling death
The rate = high growth
Demographic Stage III: Declining birth rate,
Transition relatively low death rate = slowed
growth
Stage IV: Low death rate, low birth
rate = very slow growth
Labour Force
Number of persons 15 years old and
Labour force above who during a specified reference LFPR = LF / (Pop15 years &
participation rate period were employed or unemployed over) *100
(LFPR) relative to the size of the working age LF = labour force
population.
The main population at risk of labour
Refined activity RAR = LF/ (Population 15 –
force participation, i.e., adult
rate (RAR) 64 years)*100
population 15 – 64 years.
Crude activity Labour force in proportion to the size CAR = #of persons in labour
rate (CAR) of the total population force /Total population *100
ASAR’S = #of labour force
Age specific #of labour force in a specific age group
in a specific age group/#
activity rates in relation to total population in that
population in that same age
(ASAR’S) age group.
group*100
All members of the population who do Total population minus
Dependent
not produce any economic goods and economically active
Population
services. population or labour force
Economic EDR = #of dependents
Number of dependent population
dependency ratio (irregardless of age)/Labour
relative to the size of the labour force
(EDR) force*100

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CHAPTER II: CONCEPTS AND DEFINTIONS FOR POPULATION CENSUSES
AND SURVEYS

This section focuses on the concepts and definitions that are often used in census and
surveys with the sole aim of standardizing these terminologies. It is done to enhance the
line ministries and agencies as well as individuals who are data producers to adapt similar
method and way of collecting data from the field.

2.1 Building

2.1.1. Building definition

A building is defined as a physical structure, which is separate and independent of any
other structure and must comprise of one (1) or more rooms. It must be covered by a roof
and enclosed within external walls or dividing walls that extend from the foundation to
the roof. A building may be used several purposes, i.e., residential, commercial or
industrial or provision of services. As such, some buildings may be used for factory,
shop, detached dwelling, apartment building, warehouse, repair shop, poultry pen, etc.
NOTE that detached rooms, for example, detached kitchens, toilets, servants quarters,
garages, etc. relating to main buildings are treated as part of the main buildings. Some
buildings might be occupied, closed or vacant. Inquire from neighbours to help identify
closed or vacant buildings, and double check before the end of the enumeration period to
verify the information received from the neighbours.

2.1.2. Closed building

A closed building is one, which, on census night (e.g the midnight of 29/30 July, 2010),
was in use but all the occupants temporarily absent (i.e. absent for less than six (6)
months).

2.13. Vacant building

A vacant building is one, which, on census night was not being used for any purpose.
Included in this category are those buildings, which were closed for six (6) months or
more.

2.2 Dwelling Unit

2.2.1. Dwelling unit definition

A dwelling unit is any building or separate and independent part of a building or a room
in which a person or group of persons was living on census night. It must have direct
access from the street or common landing, staircase, passage or gallery where occupants
can enter or leave without passing through another household’s living quarters. Some
dwellings might be closed or vacant, while others might be owner-occupied dwellings.

2.2.2. Closed dwelling unit

A dwelling unit which is occupied, but on census night, the occupants were temporarily
away, that is, away for less than six (6) months. The residents there may be away either

19
for vacation, holiday, etc. Find out from the neighbours, if anyone spent the census night
in the dwelling.

2.2.3. Vacant dwelling unit

It is a dwelling unit that is habitable but no one was living there on census night and
whose residents were away for six (6) months or more.

2.2.4. Private dwelling unit

A private dwelling unit is one in which a private household resides. This may be a single
house, flat, apartment, out room, part of a commercial building, or a boarding house
catering for less than six persons.

2.3 Private Household

A private household consists of one or more persons living together (i.e. sleeping
together at least 4 nights per week) and sharing at least one daily meal. It is important to
note that a member of a household need not be a relative of the main family or the head
of household. For example, a boarder or a domestic servant who sleeps in most nights of
the week is considered a member of the household. It is possible for a household to
consist of one person or more persons or a group of unrelated persons living together.

Many types of living arrangements which may constitute a household may be found in
the field. Some examples are given below for your guidance:-

(a) A person or group of persons who moved in a building or dwelling with

the intention to stay is considered as private household.

(b) A boarding house catering for less than six boarders or lodgers is
classified as a private household.

(c) If a building is divided into flats or separate dwellings, each of the

dwelling units constitutes a private household, i.e., for instance, a tenant or
subtenant occupying a dwelling unit with his/her own eating
arrangements.

(d) A servant who sleeps in a building or in an outbuilding on the premises of

his/her employer is to be listed as a member of the household; otherwise,
is not counted as a member, if he/she does not sleep in premises of the
employer.

(e) A boarder or lodger, (i.e. a person who eats and sleeps with the household
during most nights of the week), is to be considered a member of the
household.

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 (f) Separate living quarters (i.e., each unit with its own eating or sleeping
arrangements) within an institution for all or any member of the staff
constitute separate households.

(g) A person who rents a room but does not share any meals with his/her
landlord or landlady constitutes a separate single-person household.

(h) A visitor or guest who spends census night in the household must be
counted as a member of the household. However, don’t consider any
person as a visitor or guest who due to some circumstances spent the
census night in the household and left early the next day before the
enumerator visits the household to conduct the census count. Such person
should be treated as a traveler who having to spend the census night there
due to circumstances and would be counted to his/her usual place of
residence where the enumerator might meet him/her.

(i) Persons, who because of the nature of their jobs (i.e. watchmen, shift-
workers, medical and health personnel, etc.), spend most nights away from
their home MUST be enumerated at their place of usual residence along
with the other members of their households.

2.4 Head of Household

The Head of the Household is a designated person or the person recognized as such by
the respondent. Every household must have a head. Assign a head and continue the
interview in cases where the respondent does not accept the idea of a head.

In the case of a group of unrelated persons sharing a dwelling on an equal basis, take as
head the member of the group designated as a head by the rest of members or recognized
as such by the others.

A person running a boarding house or similar establishment that caters for less than six
(6) boarders or lodgers is considered the head of that household.

2.5 Institutional Households

The institutional household comprises the group of persons who are living and /working,
studying under prescribed rules and regulations on the census night. They include the
homeless, overnight travelers and institutional population who reside in hostels, hospitals,
prisons, hotels and lodges, etc. Use the institutional questionnaire to interview them.

As mentioned earlier, separate living quarters (i.e., each unit with its own eating or
sleeping arrangements) within an institution for all or any member of the staff constitute
separate households. Use the regular household and individual questionnaires and
interview such people instead of the institutional questionnaire.
Below is a list of institutional households with their codes:

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01 Public Hospitals, House of Refuge, Sanatoria, Mental Homes, Leprosaria, and
Nursing Homes with more than six beds;
02 Alms Houses, Poor Houses, Homes for the aged, etc;
03 Orphanages, Boarding Schools;
04 Religious institutions including for instance, Monasteries, Nunneries, Convents,
Presbyteries;
05 Hostel for Nurses, Working people and others;
06 Hotels and Guest Houses accommodating more than six persons;
07 Police Barracks and Stations, Military Barracks;
08 Prison/jail (penitentiary institution), including Reformatories, Detention Camps,
etc;
09 Youth Camps;
10 Homes for physically handicapped and mentally retarded;
11 University Campuses, Teachers Colleges;
12 Street children;
13 Homeless centres;
14 Other centres

2.6 Transient Population

Transient population is found mostly in the airports, bus stands, etc. Like the homeless
households, the enumeration of the transient population should be done on the census
night using the institutional questionnaire. The enumerator of the ED should enumerate
them telling them that they should not get enumerated again. If there are more than 50
such persons in an ED, an additional enumerator may be appointed, so that one
enumerator will be responsible for 50 persons

2.7 Visitation Record:

It is a form designed to be used by the enumerators to list all the buildings, dwelling
units, households, institutions, business places and other relevant information within the
enumeration district. It is also used in selecting samples for post-census activities,
including sample frame for inter-censal surveys, and more importantly, used in the
preparation of the census preliminary report.

2.8 Census Night

This is the period for example from midnight 29/30 July 2010 to 6.00 a.m. on 30 July
2010.

2.9 The Census Reference Time and Date

The Census reference time and date are as of for example midnight of 29/30 July 2010.
This means that all persons who are alive as of this date and time are included in the
population count. Accordingly, since it would not be possible to enumerate the entire

22
population on that single day, whatever is the day during which the census questionnaire
will be filled, all will be referred to the midnight of for example 30 July 2010.

2. 10 CATEGORIES OF RESIDENCE STATUS

There are three categories for classifying the residence situation or residence status:
• Resident present at the time of the reference census night (RP)
• Resident absent at the time of the reference census night (RA)
• Visitors (V)

2.10.1. Resident present (RP)

A person is a resident present, if he/she usually lives more than six months in the place
where he/she is enumerated, and if he/she is present on reference night, the night
preceding the first day of the census.

A delay of six months is considered as a reference to determine the residence status in

most of the cases, however there are few exceptions. There may be certain categories of
persons who live less than six months in a given place, but who intend to stay, and who in
addition will not be enumerated as absent in that place. Below are some examples:
1. A woman who just married is a resident where she lives with her husband as soon
as she moves in.
2. A civil servant, who has been sent to a new place, becomes immediately resident
in this new place.
3. A person who just moved to a new place, alone or with his/her family, with the
intention to stay in this new place for any reason, becomes resident in this new
place.
4. The following persons will also be enumerated as resident present (RP), even
though they have not spent the reference night in their households:
• Nurses or physicians on night duty;
• Night guard /watchman;
• Persons who spent the night in a night club, or in a night of prayers;
• Person traveling in a car that census night;
• Factory workers/ shift-workers who work at night;
• Military or police personnel who spent the night in a camp or on duty;
• Someone out fishing all night fall.
5. A traveler, who due to some reason lodged with someone and spent the census night
there and left early before the enumerator visits that household should be counted as
resident present in his/her usual household from whence he/she came. The point here
is that a certified visitor should at least be someone available in the household to
provide his/her own information to the enumerator.

6. A visiting partner/friend or child, who due to sleeping arrangement sleeps in the

household of a partner/friend or in another household, but spends most part of the day
in the household of his/her parent or in another household and shares daily meal there
MUST be counted resident present (RP) in that household where he/she spends most

23
 of his/her time and shares meal, even though he/she spent the census night in the
household where sleeping arrangement was made.

2.10.2 Resident absent (RA)

Resident absent is a person who usually lives in the census place, but who was not
present on the reference night. To indicate this category, one will write RA in the
corresponding box. The person must be absent for a period equal to or shorter than six
months.
If the absence is longer, the person will be considered resident present in the other place
where he/she is, and this is the place where he/she will be taken care of (where he/she
will be enumerated). A person may be absent from his/her residence place for a
variety of reasons, such as:
• Health (hospitalized)
• Business (business trip)
• Family reasons (visiting a relative, participating to a wedding ceremony, and so
forth)
• Occupation (i.e., commercial traveler, truck/car driver, etc.)
• Tourism (trip for vacation)
• Camps (training, sojourn).
• Short term studies

In the case of an absence for such reasons, and after proper enquiry on the household
member concerned, the census enumerator must write down the person in the appropriate
line of the questionnaire for his/her household, with the mention "RA" in the
corresponding box.

2.10.3 Visitors (V)

The persons who stayed effectively with the enumerated household during the reference
night (the night preceding the first day of the census), but who are not resident because
their usual residence is located elsewhere, are visitors. For them, one must write down
"V"; these persons must be visiting for less than six months.

2.11. Other Special Categories of Residents

2.11.1. Foreign Diplomats

Foreign diplomats or representatives of international organizations resident in Guyana
and their families will not be enumerated in the census. However, their service personnel
will be enumerated as part of the resident population.

2.11.2 Foreign Residents

Foreign Residents who stay or work in Guyana will be enumerated as resident present or
absent (RP or RA), if their duration of stay exceeds six months, whereas if their duration
of stay is shorter than six months, they will be enumerated as visitors (V).

2.11.3 Guyanese Diplomats

24
Guyanese diplomats and their families posted and living abroad will be enumerated as
part of Guyana’s Resident population, based on information provided by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.

2.11.4 Students Abroad

Students studying abroad will be enumerated as resident absent (RA) in their families in
Guyana, provided the length of absence away from the household is equal to or less than
six months.

2.11.5 Other Workers Abroad

Other workers abroad, such as the seasonal workers, will be enumerated as resident
absent (RA) in their families in Guyana, provided their length of absence away from the
household is equal to or less than six months.

2.11.6 Foreign Students

Foreign students who are studying in Guyana’s establishments will be enumerated as the
other persons living in the country.

2.11.7 Civil Servants

Civil servants who are on official trips or personal vacation trips abroad will be
enumerated as persons usually resident (RA) but not having spent the reference night in
their households, provided the length of absence away from the household is equal to or
less than 6 months.

2.11.8 Homeless Persons

Persons living in the street and or do not have special place to sleep, especially in the city
of Georgetown and other parts of country are part of the population and must be counted.
Special arrangements would be made to fully enumerate them on the census night using
the institutional questionnaire.

2.11.9 Newborns
Children born between for example July 30 and August 19, 2010, that is, after the
reference night will be enumerated as usual resident absent (RA) in the household on the
census night; on the notion that he/she spent the census night abroad.

2.11.10 Dead Persons

Someone who was present in the household on census night, but died during the period of
the enumeration, that is, for example between July 30 and August 19, 2010 before the
enumerator visits to that household, MUST be counted as if he/she were alive and be
recorded as resident present (RP). However, enumerator must remember not to count the
person twice, that is, record him/her as dead person in response to the Household
Questionnaire (H7.1).

25
2.11.11 Visitors arriving after census night
Unless in the case of the newborn baby, anyone coming from abroad (whether Guyanese
or foreign-born citizen) into the country after the census night is not a part of the census
enumeration, and MUST not be enumerated as visitor or resident. However, such person
should be enumerated only (as resident absent (RA)) if he/she is a usual resident member
of a household but was on holiday or trip abroad and spent the census night there.

REFERENCES

1. EcoFutureTM (2003) Population and Sustainability - TPopulation Terms and

Definitions, Glossary of Population Terms, from Population Reference Bureau.

2. Population: an Introduction to Concepts and Issues by John R. Weeks. A college

textbook and a good introduction to population issues, including terms and
definitions.

3. Population Terminology - Quick Reference, Courtesy Janet Braithwaite. Based on

The Population Reference Bureau’s Population Handbook, International Edition.

4. United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific, Indicators for
Measuring MDG and EFA, Second Group Training Course in Module on
Fundamental Official Statistics, 13 – 14 February 2007
Chiba, JAPAN

5. UN Manual X (1983): Indirect Techniques for Demographic Estimation (United Nations

publication, Sales No. E.83.XIII.2). Page 225 or at:
http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/Manual_X/Manual_X.htm

6. World Population Growth, by George E. Immerwahr. This excellent book

explains population growth in clear, concise terms and contains an excellent
demographic appendix.

26