Merged GCC census likely in 2010

A combined GCC Census of population, housing and establishments will be carried out in 2010, according to Ali bin Mehboob bin Hassan, Director General of Census Department in Oman.

Oman is currently carrying out the Census of Population, Housing and Establishments. The last census was held in 1993.

Countries usually conduct a census every 10 year. This practice is known as Decennial Census. There are other countries that conduct a census every five years. This practice is known as Quinquennial Census. Oman will have to hold the next Census in seven years.

"We will have to, as GCC members have agreed to unify the Census technical basis and schedules of holding them," Ali told Gulf News.

"An agreement has been reached to first conduct simultaneously a census of population and housing in all GCC States in 2010. A joint committee has been formed to carry out this programme."

He, however, pointed out that each of the member states would conduct their own census programme sometime during 2010. "Some may hold it early while some may conduct it at the end of the year."

According to Ali, the entire procedure will be standardised.

"There will be a set number of questions but each country will have the right to add their own questions to the ones given by the joint GCC Census Committee," he said.

Ali hopes that the committee will set guidelines by 2007 for the joint census. He added that even the current census of population, housing and establishment was being carried out with the future GCC census in mind. "We always do that."

History of population headcount
* The 19th century witnessed the first census in the Arab countries, which was conducted in Egypt in 1882.

* The year of first census in some of the Arab countries are: Tunisia 1921; Syria 1922; Iraq 1927; Bahrain 1941; Jordan 1952; Libya 1954; Kuwait 1957; Morocco 1960; Djibouti 1961; Saudi Arabia 1964; Algiers 1966; Qatar 1970; Sudan 1973; United Arab Emirates 1975; Mauritania 1977; Oman 1993 and Palestine 1998.