Census 2022 begins; President urges public support

Maldives Bureau of Statistics (MBS) has commenced the census of the population, housing and economy of Maldives.

The data collected in Census 2022 includes the population of locals and expatriates in each island, the rate at which the population is growing, the age composition, and migration rates, as well as social and economic status.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, enumerators will conduct the listing operation; collecting data on the number of rooms and residents in individual households, and the number of employees in workplaces.

The main operation will begin on September 17 and will conclude on September 25.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih visited Dharubaaruge, whether the census teams are based, on Tuesday morning.

Addressing the teams, President Solih impressed upon them the importance of the census.

He said that the information gathered during the census would be instrumental in planning the country’s future, and would facilitate developmental planning, and identify the most pressing social issues within communities.

Noting that enumerators were performing an important but difficult task, President Solih appealed for public support for the census.

“I call on everyone to treat this as a huge national endeavor, and provide your cooperation,” he said.

Maldives held its first national census in 1911, and had census every ten years until it was discontinued in 1931.

The last census, held in 2014, placed Maldives’ population at 402,071.

The MBS recruited over 4,000 enumerators for Census 2022, out of which around 2,000 enumerators are working in the greater Male’ area.