Sample characteristics: Nicaragua

Census characteristics
  1971 1995 2005
Title 1971 National Census of Dwellings and Population 1995 National Census. Seventh Census of Population, Third Census of Dwellings. 2005 National Census. Eighth Census of Population, Fourth Census of Dwellings.
Census agency National Institute of Statistics and Censuses National Institute of Statistics and Censuses National Institute of Statistics and Censuses
Population universe All live individuals at midnight April 20, 1971 All live individuals at midnight June 25, 1995 All live individuals at midnight June 5, 2005
De jure or de facto De facto De jure De jure
Enumeration unit Dwelling Dwelling Dwelling
Census day April 20, 1971 June 25, 1995 June 5, 2005
Field work period --- --- ---
Enumeration forms A single enumeration form requested information on the dwelling and household individuals. A single enumeration form requested information on the dwelling and household, and a second enumeration form requested information of the individuals. A single enumeration form requested information on the dwelling and household individuals.
Type of field work Face to face interview (direct enumeration) Face to face interview (direct enumeration) Face to face interview (direct enumeration)
Respondent --- The person that given her/his age and position within the family is the best possible respondent. Ideally the head of the household, the wife or an older member. The person that given her/his age and position within the household can provide the most accurate answers. Ideally the head of the household, the spouse or a member aged 15 or older.

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Microdata sample characteristics
  1971 1995 2005
Microdata source National Institute of Statistics and Censuses National Institute of Statistics and Censuses National Institute of Statistics and Censuses
Sample design Systematic sample of every 10th household with a random start, drawn by the Minnesota Population Center Systematic sample of every 10th household with a random start, drawn by the Minnesota Population Center Systematic sample of every 10th household with a random start, drawn by the Minnesota Population Center
Sample unit Dwelling Household Dwelling
Sample fraction 10% 10% 10%
Sample size (person records) 189,469 435,728 515,485
Sample weights Self-weighting (expansion factor=10) Self-weighting (expansion factor=10) Self-weighting (expansion factor=10)

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Units identified
  1971 1995 2005
Dwellings Yes No Yes
Vacant units Yes Yes Yes
Households Yes Yes Yes
Individuals Yes Yes Yes
Group quarters Yes Yes Yes
Special populations --- --- ---

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Unit Definitions
  1971 1995 2005
Dwellings The dwelling may be made up of a room or a group of rooms, in which a person or a group of persons live together under the same roof if the dwelling satisfies the conditions of separateness and independence. Separateness is understood to be the fact that the building is surrounded by walls, partitions, or dividers that isolate it from other buildings. Independence means that the building has a direct entrance from the street or from a hallway, stairway, corridor, etc., that allows the occupants to enter and leave without passing through other dwellings. Any independent premises within the total installation that has been equipped to lodge persons and permits them to reside there for many reasons (they are watchpersons or guards of an industry for example). Separated or independent premises designed to lodge one or more private homes, such as: a neighborhood or residential house, shacks made of straw, palm or cane; an apartment; a hovel; a room with an independent entrance that is rented in a dwelling.
Private Households A census household is a person or group of persons, related or unrelated, who live under the same roof and who share a common budget in order to satisfy their basic needs. Separate and independent premises that are meant to lodge a single person (INDIVIDUAL DWELLING) or a group of persons (one or many HOMES) that can have family ties or not, but that are distinguished because they live together and because they prepare and consume their own food. A dwelling is not considered individual when the home established here has six or more persons considered as “Others non family” (Pensioned, etc.) agreeing with question 1 of the Population Census form. A group of persons who, having family ties between them or not, reside usually in the same individual dwelling, live together and buy and consume their own food. Examples of private home are: family homes formed by father, mother, children and other family members; a single person; a Group of students who rent an apartment together.
Group Quarters Collective dwellings comprise those buildings that are structurally separate and independent, meant to provide shelter for large groups of persons. This includes hotels, hostels, guest houses where more than 5 persons are lodged, hospitals, welfare institutions, convents, boarding schools, worker's camps, barracks, etc. Those places, buildings and houses in which the sick, police, prisoners for various crimes, young or children delinquents, workers, students, religious persons, the elderly or other groups that carry out or live together under the same roof. These places, buildings or houses in which groups of persons live without family ties between them, or that is, who being NON FAMILY groups, have been designated by the government, by a private company or other institution, to resolve problems or social necessities like health, discipline, security, social adaptation, work in places far from the family dwelling, old age, being orphaned, poverty, study or religious life, etc. A group of persons without family ties between them, but who live together for reasons of discipline, health, education, religious life, work, such as: a group or body of nuns who reside usually in a convent; students in a boarding school; guests of a hotel; a group of elderly persons who reside in a nursing home; interns in jail.
       
       

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