Population geographers need population data to study population dynamics and the composition of populations over time (flow data) and at specific points in time (stock data). Accurate population data is critical for decision making at all levels. Common sources of population data include censuses, vital registration systems, sample surveys, and population registers. Censuses aim to count entire populations simultaneously but face challenges. Sample surveys provide data from samples and complement censuses. International organizations publish comprehensive population data for countries.

1. Sources of Population Data
Population and Settlement Geography

2. Contents
1. Why does a population geographer need data?
2. Why is accurate population data necessary?
3. Census
3.1 Characteristics of Census :
3. 2 Ways of ConductingCensus
3.3 Problems/challenges in census taking
4. Vital registration system/civil registration system
4.1 Uses of VRS
5. Demographicsample surveys
5.1 Limitations of sample surveys
6. Population registers
6.1 DemographicParticulars
7. International publications
7.1 Other international publications

3. Why does a Population Geographer need data?
1. 2.
To record the population dynamics,
that is, the population composition,
combined effect of birth, death, and
migration on a particular area. It is
known as flow data.
To record the situation of population
at any given time for a particular
place. This is also know as stock data.
It is represented by census and
various social surveys.
Any population geographer needs population data mainly for two reasons:

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Why is accurate population data necessary?
Critical decisions for a nation, organization, or
family are made based on population data.
The overall socio- economic, political, cultural
progress of a country is dependent on
population data to a large extent.
Population data contains various influential
details such as birth, death, demographic
information such as age, sex, annual income,
occupation, language, etc

5. Census
History of Census: In India, census has been undertaken
every 10 years, beginning in 1872 under British Viceroy
Lord Mayo, the first complete census was taken in 1881.
Post 1949, it has been conducted by the Registrar
Genral and Census Commissioner of India under the
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. W. W. M.
Yeats was appointed Census Commissioner for the 1941
census, which proved to be the last of British
commissioner and was replaced by R. A. Gopalaswami.
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6. Characteristics of Census :
1.Periodicity: In a census, population details are counted at a
regular interval. Most of the countries, including India, conduct
census every 10 years.
2.Simultaneity: It refers to the counting of population
simultaneously at a specified point of time. This time or date is
known as reference date or census moment or census time.
● As a general rule, a day is fixed for the census and also a
particular moment which is called the "census moment". In
india the census moment now is the sunrise of 1st march, of
the census year.

7. Ways of Conducting Census
De facto method
When the census is conducted at an individual's
current residence. Genrally this census is carried
out at night, and thus, it is also known as 'one
night enumeration'
De Jure Method
When the census is conducted at a person's
permanent residence, it is more practical and
scientific and is also called 'period
enumeration'.

8. PROBLEMS/CHALLENGES IN CENSUS TAKING
Intrusiveness, privacy concerns
and participation: People dont
share private data.
Insufficient numbers of
professional with the
knowledge and experience
More complex living
arrangements, making hard to
reach population.
Difficulties in accessing secure
apartments and enumerating
unsafe areas.
Lower public cooperation
and participation
Corruptions during census can
make it difficult to have an
efficient population census
Increasing costs : To conduct a
census, is a huge economic
burden for a country

9. VITAL REGISTRATION SYSTEM/CIVIL
REGISTRATION SYSTEM
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VITAL Registration is defined as continuous,
permanent, compulsory recording of the occurrence
and characteristics of vital events ( birth, death,
marriage etc.)
The first civil registration system was introduced in
England and Wales in 1836 and Scotland in 1854.

10. USES OF CRS/VRS
For individuals For administration:
 Important tool for studying the dynamics of
the population of any country or region
 In case of birth, it provides information to the
government about vaccination,
immunisation, premature baby care,
assistance to the disabled, etc.
 Death records are required to provide
information about disease case register,
electoral roll, social security, etc.
 It provides a safeguard to social status and
individual benefits.
 It serves as a vital evidence to prove
nationality.
 Birth registration records are required as age
proof in any individual career system.
 Among other benefits the system provides
the individual with a unique identity, records
parental relationship.

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3. Demographic Sample Surveys
National sample survey:
The survey is conducted on a
regular basis by the National
Sample Survey
Organisation(NSSO), since
1972,
NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH
SURVEY:
It is a large scale, multi round
survey conducted in a
representative sample of
households throughout India.
SAMPLE REGISTRATION SYSTEM
It is a demographic survey for
providing reliable annual
estimated of infant mortality rate,
birth rate, death rate and other
fertility and mortality indicators at
the national and sub national
levels.
Data are obtained from selected samples and the extent of statistical error in the data is minimized by
regulating the size of the samples.

12.  Sample surveys cannot replace the complete
counts. Sample surveys and periodic
complete counts are basically
complementary to each other
 An efficient sampling requires stratification,
and this can be achieved only if there is a
suitable reference framework based on a
recent complete count of some sort .
 Sample survey is largely dependent on
Census, So an inefficient or incorrect Census
will lead to a faulty Sample survey
Limitations of sample surveys :

13. POPULATION REGISTERS
• SWEDEN is said to be the first country to have started this system in the seventeenth
century. In India, it is known as NATIONAL POPULATION REGISTER(NPR) . It is a register of
usual residents of the country.
• It is being prepared at the local ( Village /sub town), sub district, district, state and
National level under provisions of the citizenship act 1955 and the citizenship
(registration of citizens and issue of national identity cards) , Rules 2003.
DEMOGRAPHIC PARTICULARS CONTAINED IN NPR
• Name of persons, relationship to head of household, Father's name, Mother's name ,
Spouse's name( if married) , sex, Date of Birth, Martial status, Place of birth, Nationality,
Present address etc.
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14. Human Resource
Infographics
Gender Age
Marital
Status
Name of
persons
Date of Birth
DEMOGRAPHIC PARTICULARS CONTAINED IN NPR

15. INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
• The United Nations and its various organs, along with other international agencies
such as the WORLD BANK, publishes population data for the world as a whole and for
different countries separately at regular interval. The most important of them is the
Demographic year book, published by the UN
• It provides data on such wide ranging topics as wide ranging topics as population
size, area, density, urban population, population growth, age-sex composition,
number of births and birth rate, number of deaths and death rate etc.
• Sometimes, the volume is devoted to special topics, which include fertility, mortality,
marriage, divorce, migration and population census statistics.
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16. Other international publications
The United Nations
Development
programme(UNDP)
World Health
Statistics Annual of
WHO.
YEAR BOOK OF
Labor Statistics of
ILO
Statistical year book
of UNESCO

17. THANK YOU