What is the Census? - The word census comes from Latin, census, and means “a set of statistical data of the inhabitants of a city, province, state or nation”. The Census is the only survey that covers all Brazilian households (around 58 million spread over 8,514,876.599 km²) in order to investigate the living conditions of the population in each of the 5,565 municipalities in the country. A most complex undertaking, which involves nearly 230 thousands people; quite different from the sampling survey, which, as its name says, investigates part of the population. Eventually, through statistical models, conclusions are drawn regarding the whole population.
What is the Census for? - The Census is the main source of data on the living situation of the population in the municipalities and localities. Information is collected for the definition of public policies at national, state and municipal level. The results of the Census are also important for the private sectors to take decisions on investments. Besides, those results track the evolution of the growth, geographic distribution and other characteristics of the population throughout time.
What public policies can be developed based on the Census’s results? - Based on the Census, the government can identify priority areas for investments in health, education, housing, basic sanitation, transportation, electricity, social assistance programs for the children and the elderly. Besides, it is also possible to select places that need incentive programs for economic growth and social development.
Does the Census affect the allocation of public funds? - Since it counts the population, the Census produces results that serve as a parameter to estimate the amount of public funds the city will receive. The Census’s results provide the references for the population estimates to be conducted in the following years, and are the basis for the Brazilian Court of Audit (TCU) to determine the shares of the State and Municipal Revenue Sharing Fund. It offers, as well, crucial information to the budgetary distribution in Education, Culture, Health and Infrastructure, based on the number and distribution of the population.
Does the Census affect political representation? - Yes. The Census’s results point out the references for the population estimates which determine the number of federal and state representatives and aldermen from each state and municipality.
How does the private sector use Census data? - The data from the Census pave the way for investment decisions in the private sector, as the proper settings for plants, shopping centers, schools, daycare centers, movie theaters, restaurants, etc.
How did the Census start in Brazil? - Before 1870’s, statistics on the Brazilian population was conjectural, meeting the interests of our Metropolis at the time, Portugal. On the Portuguese crown demand, ecclesiastic authorities in Brazil counted the population in 1776, and the estimate was that in Brazil there were 1,900,000 “souls”.
When was the first Census conducted in Brazil? - IBGE considers that the first Population Census of Brazil was the survey carried out in 1872, when the country was a monarchy ruled by emperor D. Pedro II. Then, the questionnaire included questions about sex, age, schooling and marital status, religion and physical disabilities. It was also investigated whether the citizen was free or a slave. The first Census conducted by IBGE took place in 1940.
How many Censuses have been conducted here in Brazil? - There have already been 11 Censuses in Brazil*. In the table below, you will find the year they were conducted and the respective Brazilian population on such occasions.
| 1872 Census | 10,112,061 residents. |
|---|---|
| 1890 Census | 14,333,915 residents. |
| 1900 Census | 17,318,556 residents. |
| 1920 Census | 30,635,605 residents. |
| 1940 Census | 41,165,289 residents. |
| 1950 Census | 51,941,767 residents. |
| 1960 Census | 70,070,457 residents. |
| 1970 Census | 93,139,037 residents. |
| 1980 Census | 119,002,706 residents. |
| 1991 Census | 146,825,475 residents. |
| 2000 Census | 169,799,170 residents. |
*Besides the undertaking of 11 Population Censuses, IBGE has also carried out, in 1996 and in 2007, Population Countings, whose purpose was to improve the quality of the annual population estimates, since, according to Article 102 of Law no 8.443, of July 16 of 1992, IBGE must forward to the Brazilian Court of Audit – TCU, up to October 31 each year, a list of the population by State and Municipality so that TCU can determine the distribution of the Municipal Revenue Sharing Fund.
Why are Censuses carried out every 10 years? - Censuses have been taking place every ten years almost all over the world. For the experts, the importance of respecting the ten-year break is unquestionable, since the re-composition of the national population based on previous or subsequent Censuses is not an easy task, not even for countries with a stable population. Besides, it is a rather extensive operation which requires a complex logistical preparation. The Brazilian Census is carried out every ten years and is one of the biggest in the world.
Will other countries carry out Censuses in 2010? - Yes. In 2010, another 67 countries – besides Brazil – will conduct population censuses, including some of the most populous in the Americas (USA, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia and Uruguay) and in Asia (China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Japan, Philippines, Thailand and South Korea), besides Russia, Switzerland, Finland, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Zambia and Papua / New Guinea, among others. Taking into account the information on the population of those 68 countries (Brazil included), almost half (46.8%) of the world population will be enumerated in 2010.
Is everybody interviewed in the Census? - The census is a household survey and it would be extremely complex in terms of logistics to interview around 190 million Brazilians, one by one. Therefore, starting on August 1, IBGE visits every household in the Country – nearly 58 million households – and, among its residents, one or more persons answer the enumerator and give information on everyone living there.
If people are born and die every day, how does the Census know the number of inhabitants in a given year? - That is why the Censuses need a date of reference. In the 2010 Census, this date of reference will be between the night of July 31 and August 01. Thus, all persons living in a given household that day must be enumerated. That means people born after July 31 of 2010 are not considered; and people who died after July 31 are counted, since they were part of the household in the date of reference and, as a result, are included in the 2010 Census.
And why was the date of July 31 chosen? - The best period for the undertaking of the Census is one in which the population movement is as minimum as possible, and the majority of the residents are present at their households. Two other important aspects: weather conditions during the data-collection phase and the inclusion of the Census’s expenditures in the fiscal year, for census operations require a great amount of resources and large-scale hirings.
The choice of date also exerts impact on the precision and comparability of the data surveyed. Considering that the date of reference of the latest Census was August 1 of 2000, comparability with previous information will not be jeopardized.
How can we be sure that IBGE won’t pass on information about a person to public or private bodies, such as the Federal Revenue and telemarketing companies, for example? - The 2010 Population Census is going to be carried out based on the legislation which rules national statistics. The legislation is strict and clear in this regard, determining both the mandatory report of information and the confidentiality character of the individualized information collected, which must be used exclusively for statistical purposes.
Statistics are built upon the aggregation of individual information, deindividualizing and de-identifying them, in order to make a summary of the relevant characteristics of the collection of individuals, companies, entities, products, etc. As a consequence, the “statistical purposes” are the ones not demanding availability of individualized information and, when IBGE makes results available, it preserves the individuality and identity of the respondents.
And what are these legal rules? - You can see below an example of two rules which guarantee the confidentiality of the information reported to IBGE.
Decree law no 73,1777, of November 20 of 1973 – regulates Law no 5,534, of November 14 of 1968, modified by Law no 5,878, of November 11 of 1973, which establishes as mandatory the reporting of information to the National Plan of Basic Statistics and the General Plan of Geographic and Statistical Information. This decree determines who is obliged to provide the information required by IBGE and the confidentiality protecting the information provided.
Decree no 74, 084, of May 20 of 1974 – approves the General Plan of Statistical and Geographic Information, and guarantees, in its 8th Article, protection, through confidentiality, of the information covered by the plan and, in its 9th Article, it establishes the dissemination of data and information and their availability to the public by means of yearbooks, reports, summaries and specialized articles.