SOURCES OF DATA

Introduction:

Population Geography is an empirical field of study dealing with the spatial distribution of population number, population growth and composition needs accurate and authentic data of various regions and countries of the world.

Truly speaking we are great need of spatio-temporal data/statistics about the following major factors/aspects/traits/attributes of the population.

• Distribution of population and density and various characteristics of population such as age, sex, marital status, religion and economic status etc.
• Dynamic aspects of population like fertility, mortality, migration and changes in the employment status etc.

However, the major problems faced by population is the variation in the characteristics and quality of date in space and time. Therefore, it becomes very difficult to make the comparative study of population in space and time. The population statistics collected by the develop countries is highly accurate and in abundance/profuse but it lacks in less develop countries in the world. 

To be sure there are two methods of collect the data:

Static Method of Data Collection:

Population distribution and composition of population and various characteristics of population (Census and Sample Survey, Population Commission and Enquiries etc.)

Dynamic Method of Data Collection:

Data collection regarding the fertility, mortality and employment status (Vital Statistic/Vital Registration and Population Register etc.)

However, the population data may be either of primary source or secondary source.

I.               Primary Source: Primary source of data is first-hand information in which the collector and utilizer of the data is the same person or agency etc.

II.            Secondary Source: by the secondary source of data is second hand information because in this method the enumerator and utilizer of the data are different person. For example, the Census data collected by the government agencies is the primary data for the government use but for a researcher it is secondary source of data

The following are the important source of population/demographic data:

               i.         Census

              ii.         Vital Statistic/Vital Registration

            iii.         Sample Survey

            iv.         Other National and International Publication. 

i.               Census Data:

Census is one of the most important and basic sources of demographic data. Because it is the Census data that make us able to make world level and comparative Spatio-Temporal analysis of the above-mentioned attributes of population.

The word Census has been derived from Latin word ‘Censere’ means Value/tax/to assays.

In simple words census be called a official count of the people in a country or territory.

But comprehensively, the census is the “Total process of collecting, compiling, publishing demographic, economic and social data pertaining, at a specified time or times, to a person in a country or the limited territory.”

The rudimentary partial censuses regarding the selected cohorts of population for taxation and military recruitments were held even by Babylonians, Egyptians, Greek and Roman, Chinese and Indians. But the earlier modern censuses were held in parts of Scandinavian, Prussian (Germany) and Italian territories during the 18^th century. However, the records show that the first modern Census was held in Sweden in 1749 and in USA as lately as 1798. But in India the first partial Census was held during 1867 to 1872. However, the first systematic and complete census in India held in 1882 then after regular decennary census in India. The latest Indian Census was held in 2011. 

There are two approaches or methods of census data collection:

(a) De-facto Census:

Collection of the information about the individual where they are found. Generally, these censuses in full moon night are data is fixed by Census organization and the process of enumeration is completed within 24 hours. It makes able to the enumerator not only collected the information about the people who have permanent residence but also those people who are not having proper and permanent shelter like houseless and homeless people, pavement dwellers, beggar, labour people living in bridges, pipelines, along the railway track. This method of data collection is less partly and less time consuming. However, the people who travelled by aeroplanes or plying on the road railways are generally felt out. 

(b) De-jure Method:

In this method only those persons are enumerated who are found their usual residences. The such type of census is held in 2 or 3 weeks. The major limitation of this process of census is that the persons not having in their houses are left out, in addition the persons having two or more houses in various cities or stays in a country are counted again and again. Moreover, it is costly and time consuming.

However, the censuses held in India and UK upto 1931 were based on de-facto approach, but after it both the approaches have been adopted in all the census after it.

United Nation has played a significant role for making compatible census data by guiding and encouraging of less developed countries of the world for hold decennial censuses. Moreover, the United Nation Organisation (UNO) has also advised to all the nation of the world to, include at least following questions in their questionnaire:

• Name of the person
• Head of the household
• Relationship with householder
• Sex
• Age
• Religion
• Nationality
• Marital status
• Literate/illiterate 
• Education level
• Settlement status (rural/urban)
• Employment status (employed and unemployed)
• Type of economic activity
• Basis household amenities and facilities (electricity, drinking water, toilet, type of fuel etc)
• Place of birth
• Place of last residence

ii.            Vital Statistic:

Vital Statistic and population register. This is another important source of population data under this system the information is collected pertaining to vital events of life like births, deaths, marriages, divorce, separation, adoption and migration etc. It is a continuous process of data collection. This vital statistic is ‘nowadays’ collected all over the world. But the information of vital events collected in the developed countries of the world is more authentic and reliable as compared to the less developed countries of the world. Mainly due to under report and unawareness of the man of the rural areas about significance of this type of data collection. This information is vital statistic is also collected with the following demographic aspects like sex, religion, caste, urban rural status of the parents of the baby and age, sex, religion, caste and cause of the death of the disease etc.

The information regarding deaths was began to collect by British Government after the mid of the 19^th century due to large scale deaths of the people due to infection and communicable diseases and starvation caused by severe droughts. The data collection about the death I the central provinces of India was began in 1897 and in Bengal in1873 (both about the birth and death) and later on it was extended in Bihar, Orissa and Punjab. However, the collection of the data about the births and deaths in the whole India was began in 1886. The systematic collection of the data pertaining to the vital events in independent India was started after the establishment of office of the Registrar General of India and census commissioner in 1949. Now it is obligatory in India that the family member have to information with in the 7 days of birth and seven days of deaths to the municipal committee and notified committee in the urban area and to the village panchayat in the rural area.

Moreover, in some countries like Sweden, Belgium, Korea and Japan is also necessary get to be register of the population register to the local authority, if a person migrates from one place to another place.

iii.           National Sample Surveys:

The sample surveys are very important source of socio-economic and demographic data at very micro level specially during the intercensal period. In the sample surveys a detailed in information, which may not be collected in the censuses is being collected like abortion, use of contraception, behaviour of the people pertaining to the family planning, income expenditure, employment status, migration, amenities and facilities available etc.

Sample surveys are the following two types:

A.    Sample Surveys undertaken by Governmental and non-governmental organisation

B.    Sample surveys conducted by researchers

 

A.   Sample Survey Undertaken by Government and NGOs:

The government of the various countries and NGOs make the sample survey based on random or stratified random sampling either in each calendar year or with the gape about the various aspects of the population. Thus, the basic difference in the census data and sample data is that in the census information is collected about whole population of the country while I the sample survey the data only collected about the selected segment of the population.

The National Sample Survey Organization of India was established in 1950 and first round the data collected by NSS was held in the same year (1950) and since than it is collecting the socio-economic and demographic data about Indian population nearly each calendar year, but the emphasis of a particular aspect of population or India economy varies from one round to another.

B.    Sample Surveys Conducted by Researchers:    

However, the sample data is collected by individual research scholars in India and abroad based on field survey and direct questionnaire to the respondent is also playing a significant role as far as the micro level studies related with fundamental action research and pertaining to the various sets of population. Truly speaking, the researchers related to the socio-economic and demographic problems of the society may not be comprehensively and scientifically. On the basis of census data NSSs due to inherited limitations of these sources of data. Therefore, some assiduous and hardworking researchers in the Department of Geography in AMU, BHU, Panjab University Chandigarh have made very authentic ad scientific researches about the various crucial problems related to the population like house lessness, homelessness, begging, migration, child labour community, human labour market, pavement dwellers, poverty, hunger etc.

iv.           National and International Publication:

UNO is playing a very significant role not only publishing population/demographic and economic data about the various nations of the world but also provide guidance to the less developed countries of the world for conducting regular decennial censuses in their respective countries having same important characteristics about population (as mentioned in the head of the census sources of data) in their census schedule. The UNO is continuously publishing demographic year book and statistical year book started from 1948. Moreover, the data published by UNDP, WHO and ILO have also been appreciate. Moreover, the agricultural, labour, education of the ministries of various countries generally also regularly published data related socio-economic characteristic of population of their respective countries.