Page 24 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

2.2 Sources of Population Data

Population data
The data on population and population matters are called population data. They are
related with birth, death, migration, population size, structure, density, composition, etc.
They are very important for the government to launch various development plannings as
well as for the study of real picture of the society.
There are two major sources of population data: They are given below:

A. Primary Sources
B. Secondary Sources
Sources of Population Data

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

- Census - Books
- Magazines
- Vital Registration System
- Journals
- Administrative Records - Newspapers
- Monographs
- Sample Surveys
- Statistical Year Book
- Research Reports
A. Primary sources
Those sources from where primary data are collected are called as primary sources of
population data. Primary sources include the following sources:
a. Census

b. Vital Registration System
c. Administrative Records
d. Sample surveys

Primary data Fig: 1
The data which are collected by the government or any other organizations by means of
questionnaire or interview method are called primary data. They are also called first hand
data.

B. Secondary sources
The sources from where secondary data are collected are called secondary sources of
population data. Some examples of secondary sources of population data are books,
magazines, journals, newspaper, etc.

24 GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9