State Statistical Office - Population Census

Population Census

The first enumerations on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia were carried out in the 15th century, when Turkish authorities were numbering only taxpayers and male population. There are Russian, French, Greek and other sources of data on population censuses in the 19th century.

The first contemporary census on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia was conducted in 1921.

After the Second World War, 8 population censuses were conducted in the Republic of Macedonia: in 1948, 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 1994 and 2002.

The 1991 census coverage was not complete and, therefore, another census in the same decade was conducted in 1994.

The 1994 Census was the first census conducted in the Republic of Macedonia after the proclamation of independence.

The 2002 Census is the last census undertaken in the Republic of Macedonia and it was evaluated by the international community as well organized and its quality was above average.

A census is the overall process of:

- collecting;

- compiling;

- evaluating and analyzing, and

- disseminating data on the population, households and dwellings in a country.

The census is the most comprehensive statistical survey according to the number of units covered and the largest regarding the number of persons taking part in its execution.

A census is prepared for several years prior to its execution in the field, and census data are processed for a longer time period after the field collection.

The aim of each census is to provide complete, high-quality, up-to-date and internationally comparable statistical data on the population, households and dwellings in a country, in order to meet the needs of data users at the national and international level.

Data continuity and comparability with previous censuses must be maintained.

A census provides data on:

- the number of population and its spatial distribution as well as the population structure by demographic, geographic, ethnic, economic and social features;

- the number of households and their spatial distribution, as well as data on household structure by size, type, family composition and generation structure;

- the number of living quarters by type and their spatial distribution; for dwellings by definition, data are also provided on size, installations and auxiliary rooms.

Aggregated data obtained from data collected during a census are used for the following purposes:

- analysis and evaluation of the status and trends in the economic and social development;

- planning of development in the economy, education, health care, housing and other economic and social areas;

- monitoring the implementation of the plans;

- scientific researches;

- statistical purposes; etc.

Key Indicators

Total Population ( 2002) : 2022547

Total number of Households ( 2002) : 564296

Total number of Dwellings ( 2002) : 698143

Time Series

Terms and explanations
The total population is consisted of: - Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, regardless of whether at the time of the Census they are present at their place of usual residence or elsewhere in the Republic of Macedonia; - Foreigners who have a residence permit for the Republic of Macedonia and they are temporarily present in the Republic of Macedonia at least 12 months (one year), but who have a place of usual residence outside of the Republic of Macedonia; - Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, who at the time of the Census, and for a maximum of 12 months (one year) prior to its conduction, are working abroad, as well as the members of their households; - Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, and during the time of the Census are working abroad at the diplomatic and consular representative offices of the Republic of Macedonia, the United Nations and its organizations, representative offices or being representatives of the Chamber of Commerce abroad, business offices abroad, military representatives of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia abroad, and citizens engaged on the bases of international, technical and other kinds of co-operation, education, as well as the members of their households who are staying abroad with the aforesaid persons; - Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, but are not in possession of the documents pursuant to Article 39, item 1 from the Census Law, if they present the documents stated with Article 39 item 3 from the Census Law. Households A household is considered to be a family or some other community of persons who declare themselves to be living together and spending their incomes collectively for their basic living needs (housing, food and other), regardless of whether all household members are present at the place where the household is settled, or if some of them are staying for a certain period of time at some other settlement, respectively foreign country for the purpose of work, education or for other reasons. A household is also considered to be any person who lives alone (”single person household”), and who has no other household elsewhere. A household is also considered the so-called collective (institutional) household, i.e. a household consisting of persons who live in institutions for permanent care of children and adults, in monasteries-convents and hospitals for incurable persons. The Census covers all households (according to definition of households) of the persons - Census units. The data in the table concerns the total number of the households in which are included the individual and the collective households. The data of the individual households concerns the individual households with one person (single person households) and individual households with more persons. Living quarters The data in the table concern the all living quarters. A living quarter means dwellings for habitation and other inhabited premises or objects that are not intended for habitation, but however in the time of the Census are used for habitation. A dwelling is a connected construction unit intended for habitation, regardless weather at the time of the Census the dwelling is used: for habitation only; for habitation and performing economic activities; only for performing economic activities; for vacation and recreation, or it is uninhabited, but is constructively functional dwelling. The other living quarters, means other inhabited premise that is not intended for habitation, inhabited business premise, improvized living quarter and collective living quarter.

Terms and explanations

The total population is consisted of:

- Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, regardless of whether at the time of the Census they are present at their place of usual residence or elsewhere in the Republic of Macedonia;

- Foreigners who have a residence permit for the Republic of Macedonia and they are temporarily present in the Republic of Macedonia at least 12 months (one year), but who have a place of usual residence outside of the Republic of Macedonia;

- Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, who at the time of the Census, and for a maximum of 12 months (one year) prior to its conduction, are working abroad, as well as the members of their households;

- Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, and during the time of the Census are working abroad at the diplomatic and consular representative offices of the Republic of Macedonia, the United Nations and its organizations, representative offices or being representatives of the Chamber of Commerce abroad, business offices abroad, military representatives of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia abroad, and citizens engaged on the bases of international, technical and other kinds of co-operation, education, as well as the members of their households who are staying abroad with the aforesaid persons;

- Persons who have place of usual residence in the Republic of Macedonia, but are not in possession of the documents pursuant to Article 39, item 1 from the Census Law, if they present the documents stated with Article 39 item 3 from the Census Law.

Households

A household is considered to be a family or some other community of persons who declare themselves to be living together and spending their incomes collectively for their basic living needs (housing, food and other), regardless of whether all household members are present at the place where the household is settled, or if some of them are staying for a certain period of time at some other settlement, respectively foreign country for the purpose of work, education or for other reasons.

A household is also considered to be any person who lives alone (”single person household”), and who has no other household elsewhere.

A household is also considered the so-called collective (institutional) household, i.e. a household consisting of persons who live in institutions for permanent care of children and adults, in monasteries-convents and hospitals for incurable persons.

The Census covers all households (according to definition of households) of the persons - Census units.

The data in the table concerns the total number of the households in which are included the individual and the collective households. The data of the individual households concerns the individual households with one person (single person households) and individual households with more persons.

Living quarters

The data in the table concern the all living quarters.

A living quarter means dwellings for habitation and other inhabited premises or objects that are not intended for habitation, but however in the time of the Census are used for habitation.

A dwelling is a connected construction unit intended for habitation, regardless weather at the time of the Census the dwelling is used: for habitation only; for habitation and performing economic activities; only for performing economic activities; for vacation and recreation, or it is uninhabited, but is constructively functional dwelling.

The other living quarters, means other inhabited premise that is not intended for habitation, inhabited business premise, improvized living quarter and collective living quarter.

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