The state of vital statistics in Africa

Abstract

At the Seminar on Population Problems in Africa held in Cairo in October-November 1962, explicit recognition was given to the inadequacies of the existing data on population size*, structure and changes. The Third Conference of African Statisticians took note of the recommendations of the Population Seminar and specifically requested that a meeting should be held on the problems of vital statistics collection and of extending and improving civil registration in Africa. The inadequacies of "basic demographic statistics in .Africa persist even though in the last decade African countries have made considerable progress in filling some of the major gaps, J-t is in field operations that the notable advances have been made 'but so far little has been achieved in the more difficult process of setting up continuing sources of information on current natural increase and on migration