Statistics Agency launches Census Mapping exercise
The Namibia Statistics Agency recently launched the Census Mapping exercise in Windhoek. The exercise will run from 14 October 2019 to August 2020 and will be conducted across the whole country starting with the Zambezi region.
The purpose of census mapping is to demarcate the entire Namibia into uniquely defined units of Enumeration Areas(EAs), the agency said.
According to the Statitician General, Alex Shimuafeni, the boundaries of each EA should not overlap and must not have gaps.
“The EAs provide an accurate national geographic frame to conduct censuses, which in this case will be Census 2021. In addition, the mapping will collect detailed information regarding the characteristics of the structure, the number of people that live in the building and any other information which cannot be obtained during an office exercise,” he added.
Shimuafeni said Namibia aspires to conduct a digital census in 2021 in which Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewer (CAPI) using tablets will be employed. The census mapping is a key element for the preparations and execution of the 2021 Census.
Meanwhile other uses of Census Mapping is to facilitate in the assigning of areas of counting to field staff during the main Census and to enable the enumerators to plan their movement within the EA and identify households earmarked for call-backs especially in the urban areas.
The Mapping exercise will recruit around 340 mappers that will be stationed across the whole country. The agency will start with the Zambezi region because it is a flood prone area.
Shimuafeni further more requested for cooperation from the public during this exercise.
