“Be counted!” Sri Lanka gets ready for Population & Housing Census after 20 years
[29 May 2001]

The final phase of Sri Lanka’s 13^th Population & Housing Census is planned for July 17 this year. The enumerators will visit residences between 6.00 p.m. and 12.00 midnight. The times may vary in some areas depending on the ground situation says Mr. A.G.W. Nanayakkara Director General of the Department of Census & Statistics.

The first two stages of the National Census 2001 i.e. Mapping and pre-listing have already been completed except in the northern Wanni region. Enumerators are now working on mapping and pre listing of households in the Wanni region. Mr. Nanayakkara says his officers in the Northern and Wanni regions faced no problems in the course of their work; on the contrary they enjoyed the cooperation of the people.

The third stage of the National Census will be held from 25^th June to 05^th July 2001. Enumerators will visit all housing units and other buildings and collect information pertaining to every individual living therein. Around 100,000 enumerators will be employed with one chief officer for every Divisional Secretariat division (a regional administrative area).

An accurate database of a country’s people and their abodes is very important to formulate policies at micro level. In 1991 a Census could not be conducted due to unsettled conditions in the Northern and Eastern provinces. As a result, data on population and housing is scanty, especially at the lower administrative levels.

The major objective of the Population & Housing Census is to collate demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population and other related information at household levels.

The information gathered by the Census Department will be summarized, first at village and suburban levels, then at urban levels and finally at a national level. The Department plans to publish the basic population figures within a week of the enumerators completing their task. A questionnaire designed to collect personal information and about disabled persons as well as details about housing units will be used in this census. Unlike in the past where random samples were used, this time every housing unit will be inspected and details recorded.

Mr. Nanayakkara said that the final computation of the 2001 Census would be faster and certainly more accurate because of today’s advanced computer technology.

The history of Census in Sri Lanka goes back to more than two centuries. The first Census was held in 1789 during the Dutch rule but was limited only to the coastal areas. Under the British rule two Censuses were conducted one for the coastal region in 1814 and another for the central hill country area in 1821. However these records appear to have gone astray. The records of a Census held in 1824 are still available.

Following an Act of Parliament in 1868, the first nation-wide official Census was held on 27^th March 1871. This was the first official-count of the people and places they live in. The population reported at the 1871 census was 2,400,380.

The 1941 Census was not held due to the Second World War. A shortage of paper prevented the 1951 Census from being held. The last Census in Sri Lanka was held in 1981. According to the 1981 census the population was 14,846,750 and the growth rate was 1.67.  Due to the fighting between government troops and the LTTE the 1991 census could not be held.

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Last Updated Date: December 17, 2003 .