CBS, STATISTICAL ABSTRACT OF ISRAEL 2011
2011
‫ שנתון סטטיסטי לישראל‬,‫למ''ס‬
29 POPULATION CENSUS 2008
2008 POPULATION CENSUS –
THE INTEGRATED CENSUS
additional administrative files, such as: files
of deceased persons, very old persons, and
people who left Israel. The individuals for
whom such information was obtained were
deleted from the improved administrative file.
GENERAL
The
Population
Census
provides
demographic and socio-economic data on
the population of the country at a specific
point in time (“the determinant date”), and at
a level of specification that makes it possible
to characterize small and large geographic
areas.
On the eve of the population census, this file
provided an overview of the country’s
population on the determinant date, 27
December 2008, as reflected in the
administrative files. Although this overview
derives from the administrative files, it is not
accurate enough. Therefore, two field
surveys were also conducted in order to
correct under-coverage and over-coverage
at the level of statistical areas.
The census is conducted in Israel every
decade. The 2008 Population Census was
the sixth census conducted (previous
censuses were conducted in 1948, 1961,
1972, 1983, and 1995).
2.
Evaluating
the
quality
of
coverage of the improved administrative
file: In the 2008 Census, data were collected
from December 2008 to July 2009. Two field
surveys were conducted in order to estimate
under-coverage and over-coverage in the
improved administrative file.
The population and housing censuses
conducted until the 2008 Census were
“traditional censuses”. In those censuses,
enumerators visited the homes of every
resident in the country and collected
information about the total population by
filling out questionnaires for each household.
a.
The first field survey was
conducted during 7-18 December 2008, and
from 28 December 2008 until the end of
February 2009. The survey estimated undercoverage, and was based on a sample of
field cells. All of the localities in Israel were
divided into “field cells”, with each cell
containing an average of approximately 50
households. From the cell list, a random
sample of field cells was selected, which
comprised about 17% of all of the field cells
in Israel. In those cells, the population in
households was enumerated using the
"traditional
census"
method.
The
enumerators went to each cell in the sample
twice. First, they went to the cells before the
collecting stage, in order to list all the
buildings and dwellings that were included in
the sampled cells. The second visit to the
cells was during the stage of data collection.
Enumerators
interviewed
all
of
the
households in the cell using a computerassisted questionnaire, and collected
demographic and socio-economic data on
each individual in the household. After
enumerating the field cells, a comparison
The 2008 Population Census was unique, in
that it used advanced technologies and was
the first of its kind to be conducted in Israel.
Innovative statistical methods were used,
with advanced technologies for collection,
entry, processing, and production of data.
The methodology, technological tools, field
work, and various stages of work on the
integrated census were developed over a
period of years and examined in several pilot
tests that were conducted prior to the actual
census in 2002, 2004, and 2006.
METHODOLOGY
The 2008 Census was an “integrated
census”, which combined traditional and
administrative census methods.
Stages in the implementation of the
combined census:
1.
Constructing
an
improved
administrative
file:
This
file
was
constructed on the basis of the Population
Register, as well as information from
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2008 ‫מפקד אוכלוסין‬
was made between two lists – the list of
people
registered
in
the
improved
administrative file, and the list of people
enumerated in the field cells. For each
statistical area (and for each locality that was
not divided into statistical areas), two figures
were obtained: the number of people listed in
the improved administrative file, and the
number of people enumerated in the field
cells. Based on that information, the undercoverage of each statistical area (and each
locality that was not divided into statistical
areas) was estimated according to the
relative proportion of persons who were
enumerated in the field but who were not
listed in the improved administrative file. (A
statistical area is a geographical unit derived
from the geographical-statistical division of
urban localities numbering over 10,000
residents.)
The demographic file: This file includes
100% of the population, with the addition of
the demographic characteristics and weight
assigned to each individual.
The socio-economic file: This file includes
households and individuals who were
enumerated in the field (approximately 17%
of the total population), and lists their
demographic
and
socio-economic
characteristics, with the addition of the
weight assigned to each individual.
The population census data, the census
questionnaire, and additional information can
be found on the CBS website.
DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS
Determinant date: The population census
portrays the situation of the population at a
given point in time, i.e. the determinant date.
The determinant date in the 2008 Population
Census was Saturday, 27 December, 2008.
b.
The second field survey was
conducted from 25 March to the beginning of
July 2009. The survey estimated overcoverage, and was based on a sample
population derived from the improved
administrative
file.
The
individuals
interviewed in the first field survey were
eliminated from the second field survey. In
the second field survey, telephone contact
was established with individuals who had not
been found in the sampled field cells in order
to ascertain their address of residence. At
the end of the second field survey, the rate of
over-coverage was estimated for each
statistical area (and for each locality that was
not divided into statistical areas). This
estimate was derived by calculating the
relative proportion of persons listed in the
statistical area (or locality) according to the
improved administrative file, but who were
not actually living there.
Census population: The population that
resided in Israel (including Israeli localities in
the Judea and Samaria Area) on the
determinant date, including residents of the
country who were staying abroad on the
determinant date and had been away from
Israel for less than a year. The census
population does not include: residents who
had been staying abroad for a year or more
on the determinant date; those who died
before the determinant date; those who were
born after the determinant date; and tourists
and residents who were not Israeli citizens or
did not have resident status – except those
who were living in households with Israeli
citizens on the determinant date, and those
who had been living with Israeli residents for
a year or more.
Household: A group of persons living
together in one dwelling, who have a
common expense budget for food (i.e., who
purchase food from one budget, pool of
money, or source of income).
3.
Revision
of
the
improved
administrative file and derivation of the
census files: To express the balance of
under-coverage and over-coverage in the
improved administrative file, the weight that
expresses the probability of that individual
(and those represented by that individual)
living at the address listed in the improved
administrative file was calculated for each
person.
POPULATION, BY RELIGION,
SEX AND AGE
(Table 29.1)
Religion: See the definition in the
Introduction to Chapter 2 – Population. For
the variables sex and age, there are no
unknown values.
To derive the 2008 census data, two files
were prepared:
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2008 ‫מפקד אוכלוסין‬
Source of the data: The demographic file.
Data include single residents of institutions.
LOCATION OF WORK COMPARED TO
LOCATION OF RESIDENCE, BY
DISTRICT, SUB-DISTRICT, AND
NATURAL REGION
POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLDS IN
LOCALITIES WITH 5,000 RESIDENTS
AND OVER
(Table 29.3)
Location of work compared to location of
residence: The data were calculated by
comparing the locality of residence on the
determinant date to the main locality of work
during 2008. These data are calculated out
of the total number of workers in 2008.
(Table 29.2)
Population:
Age group: Persons aged 0-19 – the
percentage of persons aged 0-14 and the
percentage of persons aged 15-19 out of the
total population.
Aged 65 and over: Calculated as
percentage of persons aged 65+,
percentage of persons aged 75+, and
percentage of persons aged 85+ out of
total population.
the
the
the
the
Households:
Workers: Persons aged 15 and over, in one
of the following groups: (a) Persons who
worked for at least one hour during the week
of the determinant date, or were absent from
their workplace during the determinant week
due to illness, vacation, etc.; (b) Persons
who did not work during the week of the
determinant date, but worked during the
course of 2008.
Number of persons per household: The
relative percentage of households in a
locality, by the number of persons living
there.
Source of the data: The socio-economic
file. Data do not include single residents of
institutions and those living outside of
localities.
Average
number
of
persons
per
household: The ratio of the total number of
persons to the total number of households in
the locality.
COMPARISON BETWEEN CENSUSES
Source of the data: The demographic file.
Data include single residents of institutions.
(Table 29.4)
The data are presented at the national level,
according to the censuses conducted in:
1961, 1972, 1983, 1995, and 2008.
Percentage of households with children
up to age 17:
The percentage of
households that have at least one child aged
0-17, out of the total number of households
in the locality.
Percentage
aged 65+:
that have at
of the total
locality.
The guideline in all population censuses is to
maintain uniformity in all of the work
processes, in order to create a stable basis
for comparison of data over the years. At the
same time, necessary changes that were
made from one census to the next affect
definitions of the population or of the topics
to be investigated.
of households with persons
The percentage of households
least one person aged 65+, out
number of households in the
The following are explanations of the
methods for calculating the variables
presented in the table:
Source of the data: The socio-economic
file. Data do not include single residents of
institutions.
POPULATION CENSUS 2008
)186(
1.
Socio-economic data from the 1961
Census refer to persons aged 14
and over. In the rest of the
censuses, socio-economic data
refer to persons aged 15 and over.
2.
Data from the 1961 Census were
taken from various publications of
the CBS. The data from the rest of
the censuses presented in this table
were re-calculated.
2008 ‫מפקד אוכלוסין‬
3.
The census weight was fixed in the
1961, 1972, 1983, and 1995
censuses, and equaled 5. In the
2008 Census, the census weight
varied for different individuals.
4.
In the 1983 and 1995 censuses, the
accepted terminology for the
variable “worked during the 12
months preceding the determinant
date” was “employed in the annual
civilian labour force”.
5.
6.
persons aged 15 and over who worked at
least one hour during the week of the
determinant date; or who were absent from
their workplace during the determinant week
due to illness, vacation, etc.; or persons who
did not work during the week of the
determinant date, but worked during the 12
months preceding the determinant date; out
of the total population aged 15 and over.
Average
number
of
persons
per
household: The ratio of the number of
persons to the number of households.
In the 1961 and 1972 censuses, the
variable “worked during the 12
months preceding the determinant
date” did not exist.
Average number of persons per room:
The ratio of the number of persons per
household to the number of rooms for
household use, for the total number of
households. In the 1995 Census the variable
“number of rooms for household use” was an
aggregated value from “6 rooms and over”.
Therefore, the data for the 1995 Census
might be biased.
In all of the censuses, the data
presented on households do not
include
single
residents
of
institutions, the population residing
on kibbutzim, and the population
residing outside of localities.
Percentage of households with at least
one car: The percentage of households that
have at least one car, out of all households
surveyed in the Census, who responded to
the question “How many cars do you have?”
Percentage of persons born abroad: In the
1961, 1972, and 1983 censuses, the
percentage of persons born abroad was
calculated only for the Jewish population; in
the 1995 and 2008 censuses, it was
calculated for Jews and others.
Source of the data: Data on the total
population, and data on the population aged
0-19, aged 65+, aged 85+, and born abroad
were taken from the demographic file of the
Census.
Percentage of persons who did not study
at all: The percentage of persons with zero
years of schooling out of the total population
aged 15 and over (the 1961 Census refers to
the population aged 14 and over).
The data on the percentage of persons who
did not study at all, the percentage of
persons with up to 8 years of schooling, the
percentage of persons with an academic
degree, the percentage of persons who
worked during the 12 months preceding the
determinant data, the total number of
households, average number of persons per
households, average number of persons per
room, and percentage of households with at
least one car were taken from the socioeconomic file of the Census.
Percentage of persons with up to 8 years
of schooling: The percentage of persons
with 1-8 years of schooling out of the total
population aged 15 and over (the 1961
Census refers to the population aged 14 and
over).
Percentage of persons holding an
academic degree: The percentage of
persons holding an academic degree (first,
second, or third degree), out of the total
population aged 15 and over.
Worked during the 12 months preceding
the determinant date: The percentage of
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SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
PUBLICATIONS APPEARING ONLY ON
THE CBS WEBSITE
- Population Census - 2008 data
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