The 2010 Round of Population and Housing Censuses in Africa

Abstract

The United Nations Statistical Commission and UN Regional Statistical Committees have over the last six decades supported census taking in Africa. During the last four decades, population and housing censuses have been the most important source of data for policy formulation, monitoring, evaluation and decision making for sectoral, national and regional development programmes in Africa. The 2010 round of Population and Housing Census (PHC) activities are supported by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) as a follow-up of the programme established by the UN Statistical Commission in the 1950 and the 1960 World Population Census Programme. Following the lessons learnt form the past censuses the 1970, 1980 and 1990 programmes were successfully organized.