Most of the countries in the world collect data about their populations, usually in the form of a census. This is a detailed collection of information on a regular basis for example, every 10 years. The data collected include employment characteristics, ethnicity, educational attainment, patterns of social activity, housing type & ownership.
In the UK the data are collated by areas of local government and by postcode. The smallest area is that covered by one census collector - an area known as an enumeration district.
The information collected is of use to:
- governments - to provide a basis for the allocation of resources to services such as, health, education & employment.
- non-governmental bodies- retailers, advertisers, financial services, property developers and utilities.
Censuses are not without problems. Some people object to them on the grounds that they infringe privacy. Some people do not return their census forms. Political conditions in some countries make censuses difficult to organise.
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