Six months have gone by since the Nation Population and Housing Census took place, and still not all of the data is available. Reporter Riammy M?ndez from the List?n Diario calls the task of obtaining the elusive figures ?mission impossible?. Last 21 October, when the census was taking place, Luis Hern?ndez Mart? promised that the data would be finalized within six months? time. The previous census carried out was deficient, due to large errors and a lack of controls. During the latest process, an estimated 97% of the homes were visited only because an extra day was spent to ensure that no residences were omitted. Nevertheless, there were ample reports made at the time of the census that data-takers had left out considerable numbers of households — easily evidenced by a visit to any apartment building where many dwellings do not bear the sticker indicating they have been polled.
The first official Dominican census was carried out in 1920, during the American occupation. Data from the 1980 and 1993 censuses was not released until years later. The most recent census cost taxpayers approximately RD$250 million and sought to compile information on new topics such as remittances, internal and international migration and disabilities.
Preliminary statistics were distributed in January, three months later than promised, but did show some interesting trends. For example, both national and international agencies had estimated the Dominican population to be 8,553,744 as of the year 2000. The census data shows only 8,230,722 people, or over 300,000 less than estimated. Whether this can be attributed to undercounting, or to a better count over the previous census, is not known.
Without the official numbers, the reason for this wide a margin of error cannot be established. Another of the surprises is the fact that in most of the provinces in the DR there were more men counted than women, even though the total number of women outnumbers the total number of men. This phenomenon is occurring more frequently in the rural provinces of El Seibo and San Juan de la Maguana.