Census Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Census - Research Paper Example This method of collecting census data is periodic, although as previously mentioned statistics are gathered on a continuous basis also. There are also more regular data inputs from various samples, with 1% of the population being questioned in 1995 and 2005, and 0.1% of the population being questioned on a yearly basis (BBC, 2011). Some of the major problems with the Chinese census stem from the simple fact that it is difficult to gather information on 6 billion people living within one autocratic nation. Although the error margin for the 2010 Chinese census was estimated to be only 2%, this represents over 26.7 million people. Another issue with the Chinese census has been that Chinese people have gradually been becoming aware of the rights that they have when it comes to privacy, and it has been noted that around a third of Chinese residents would be uncomfortable with letting the enumerators into their homes (Branigan, 2011). Opposition has, however, been minimal. Germany Germany uses the registration method for births, deaths and marriages but has not held an official enumeration census since 1987. Between 1875 and 1910, the census was held every 5 years, but since then full population censuses have been sporadic, mainly because Germany was split into East and West for a large part of the 20th century.