Population and Housing Census 2016
Tonga, 2016
Tonga Statistics Department
Identification
IDNO
SPC_TON_2016_PHC_v01_M
Title
Population and Housing Census 2016
Country
| Name | Country code |
|---|---|
| Tonga | TON |
Abstract
The census date was midnight, the 30th of November 2016. It is the official count of population, dwellings and households in Tonga and it provides a ‘snapshot’ of the country at one specific point in time: 30th of November 2016. Since 1956 until 2006, Census has been taken once in every ten years.
The Population and Housing Census (PHC) provides a unique source of detailed demographic, social and economic data relating the entire population and its most precious resource of its people. This information is used for policy making and planning, monitoring and evaluation, research and other decision-making.
The PHC is often the primary source of information such as used for allocation of public funding, especially in areas such as health, education and social policy. The main users of this information are the government, local authorities, education facilities (such as schools and tertiary organizations), businesses, community organizations and the public in general.
The population census 2016 was the second population census by 5 years interval after the previous census in 2011. This was requested by the Electoral Boundary Commission (EBC) according to its Act 2010, Section 21(1) which states that:
(1) To facilitate the second determination of boundaries under this Act, the Minister responsible for the administration of the Statistics Act shall cause a general population census to be carried out before the next General Election.
(2) The Government Statistician shall certify and provide to the Commission such Information, calculations and projections that the Commission may enable it to perform its functions under this Act.
Government Approval
The Statistics Department first sought the Minister of Finance’s approval to conduct this census. Once, this approval was received, the census proposal was prepared. The proposal was submitted to the Minister of Finance for endorsement to the Cabinet with the recommendation “That the Statistics Department conduct the Tonga Population Census and Housing on 30th November 2016(census date), and Ministry of Finance and National Planning assist with obtaining of necessary funding for the census be approved.”
The Population and Housing Census (PHC) provides a unique source of detailed demographic, social and economic data relating the entire population and its most precious resource of its people. This information is used for policy making and planning, monitoring and evaluation, research and other decision-making.
The PHC is often the primary source of information such as used for allocation of public funding, especially in areas such as health, education and social policy. The main users of this information are the government, local authorities, education facilities (such as schools and tertiary organizations), businesses, community organizations and the public in general.
The population census 2016 was the second population census by 5 years interval after the previous census in 2011. This was requested by the Electoral Boundary Commission (EBC) according to its Act 2010, Section 21(1) which states that:
(1) To facilitate the second determination of boundaries under this Act, the Minister responsible for the administration of the Statistics Act shall cause a general population census to be carried out before the next General Election.
(2) The Government Statistician shall certify and provide to the Commission such Information, calculations and projections that the Commission may enable it to perform its functions under this Act.
Government Approval
The Statistics Department first sought the Minister of Finance’s approval to conduct this census. Once, this approval was received, the census proposal was prepared. The proposal was submitted to the Minister of Finance for endorsement to the Cabinet with the recommendation “That the Statistics Department conduct the Tonga Population Census and Housing on 30th November 2016(census date), and Ministry of Finance and National Planning assist with obtaining of necessary funding for the census be approved.”
Kind of Data
Census/enumeration data [cen]
Version
Version number
Version 01: edited data of the de-identified dataset.
Version Date
2017-07
Scope
Keywords
| Keyword |
|---|
| Tonga |
| Household |
| Individual |
| Demography |
| Education |
| Labour force |
| Health |
Coverage
Geographic Coverage
National
Unit of Analysis
Household, Individual
Producers and sponsors
Authoring entity/Primary investigators
| Agency Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Tonga Statistics Department | Government of Tonga |
Producers
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Pacific Community | Technical assistance |
Funding Agency/Sponsor
| Name |
|---|
| Government of Tonga |
| Tonga Health Promotion Foundation |
Other Identifications/Acknowledgments
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) | Donation of equipments |
| Director of Education | Donation of equipments |
Data Collection
Dates of Data Collection (YYYY/MM/DD)
| Start date | End date |
|---|---|
| 2016-11-28 | 2016-12-16 |
Mode of data collection
Face-to-face [f2f]
Type of Research Instrument
The questionnaire is made of 9 modules in total (from A to I) and is in English with the Tongan translation below each question. The questionnaire was designed with Survey Solutions.
The questionnaire is available in the external resources section.
The questionnaire is available in the external resources section.
Data Collectors
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| Tonga Statistics Department | TSD | Ministry of Finance |
Data Processing
Cleaning Operations
Data editing and cleaning was collaborated with the assistance of SPC.
Other Processing
Data processing was composed of different phases which include; error checking and correction through CAPI system, data cleaning and editing, and tabulation. The most distinct advantage of using CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing) with tablets was shown in the data processing phases. The systematic structure of the operations of the tablet system enabled the data processing to be done simultaneously with the fieldwork during the enumeration period.
Application software called Survey Solutions (privileged by World Bank) was installed into the tablets to enable the enumerators to view, receive and send the questionnaire forms. Prior to that, the questionnaire was designed and uploaded to the system. Validation sequences and quality checks were implemented into the electronic questionnaire to ensure that quality and accurate data was achieved.
Application software called Survey Solutions (privileged by World Bank) was installed into the tablets to enable the enumerators to view, receive and send the questionnaire forms. Prior to that, the questionnaire was designed and uploaded to the system. Validation sequences and quality checks were implemented into the electronic questionnaire to ensure that quality and accurate data was achieved.
Data Appraisal
Data Appraisal
For the post-enumeration survey (PES), 7 census blocks were selected: 4 blocks from seven districts in Tongatapu, 1 block from each Ha’apai and Vava’u respectively and 1 from ‘Eua. The PES count in some areas recorded slightly less people. In other areas, more people were counted than the actual census enumeration. The discrepancy in population numbers could be explained by the high mobility of the Tongan population during the period of the census and the PES count.
Data access
Contact
| Name | Affiliation | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Tonga National Statistics Department | Ministry of Finance | http://tonga.prism.spc.int/links |
Conditions
Licensed datasets, accessible under conditions.
Citation requirement
"National Statistics Office of Tonga, Population and Housing Census 2016 (PHC 2016), version 01 of the licensed dataset (July 2017), provided by the Pacific Microdata Library. http://pdl.spc.int/index.php/home"
Disclaimer and copyrights
Disclaimer
The user of the data acknowledges that the original collector of the data, the authorized distributor of the data, and the relevant funding agency bear no responsibility for use of the data or for interpretations or inferences based upon such uses.
Contacts
Contact
| Name | Affiliation | URI |
|---|---|---|
| Tonga National Statistics Department | Ministry of Finance | http://tonga.prism.spc.int/links |
Metadata production
Document ID
DDI_SPC_TON_2016_PHC_v01_M
Producers
| Name | Abbreviation | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statistics for Development Division | SDD | Pacific Community | Documentation of the study |
Date of Production
2018-12-04
Document version
Version 01 (December 2018): First attempt at documenting the 2016 Tongan Census.