Expert Group Meeting to Review the United Nations

Expert Group Meeting to Review the United Nations Demographic Yearbook System 10 -14 November 2003 New York Dissemination of Data in the Demographic Yearbook System: Current approaches and Future Direction Demographic and Social Statistics Branch United Nations Statistics Division 1

Introduction 1. Content of the Demographic Yearbook (DYB) 2. Frequency of dissemination of DYB topics 3. Media of dissemination of the DYB data 4. Areas for improvement 2

Content of the Demographic Yearbook • Data Population statistics • • Size, ~ by age and sex, etc; Source: censuses, sample surveys, population registers Vital statistics • • Live births, Late Foetal deaths, Deaths, Marriages and Divorces; Source: civil registration systems, sample surveys, censuses • Metadata Footnotes Technical notes Subject-matter index System of codes Derived statistics • Rates, ratios, averages, percentages and other indicators computed by UNSD 3

Vital Statistics Metadata - Degree of completeness of civil registration C – complete (>90%) U – incomplete (<90%) …– no information (+) Tabulation by date of registration (vs. date of occurrence) - Reliability of data: Roman typeface – reliable Italic typeface - unreliable footnote (*) - provisional data 4

Demographic Yearbook Topics Regular issues. vs. Special topic issues • Consist of 25 general tables, published annually • Feature one of 10 rotating special topics • • • Natality Mortality Marriage and Divorce Economic characteristics Education characteristics Social characteristics Population ageing International migration Household composition 5 Historical supplement

Frequency of dissemination of Special topics (1949 -2003) Topics Frequency Interval (years) Number of years since last issue Natality 10 4 to 7 4 Mortality 10 5 1 to 7 6 to 10 7 13 10 8 1 to 7 1 to 8 10 9 9 2 1 to 7 8 10 8 Population ageing 2 1 12 - 14 12 Historical supplement 2 19 6 Marriage and divorce Education characteristics Economic characteristics Social characteristics Household composition International migration 6

Irregularities in the dissemination of Special Topics 1. Some topics have been disseminated more frequently than others. 2. Time lag between data collection and dissemination has increased, compared to past practice, due to a variety of reasons. 3. No gaps in the time series of Special Topics except International migration, which has a 3 -year gap. 7

Media of Dissemination Print publications • Demographic Yearbook • Population & Vital Statistics Report • Special regional reports CD-ROMs Internet DYB Master database Ad-hoc requests 8

Areas for improvement • Changes already introduced as a result of internal review • Subject-matter index is being updated • Separate volumes for regular and special topic issues, with the latter published on CD-Rom • Special regional reports are being issued when regional commissions convene • Improvements being proposed • • Establish and commit to a Special Topics schedule Expand internet dissemination of DYB data and metadata Give external users access to the Master Database Add glossary to the Demographic Yearbook 9

Issues for consideration 1. We have identified four major categories of users. Are there other users that have not been identified? If so, who are they and what are their data needs? 2. What formats and media of dissemination are best suited for the major users identified? 3. Are all topics within the regular issue of the Demographic Yearbook relevant? 4. With respect to the periodicity of Special Topics, should the Special Topics be disseminated with the same frequency? 10