The final phase of the UAE population census began on Tuesday. The census--Tedad 2005--aims at investing in the UAE community to improve the standard of living for UAE citizens and residents.
The program, initiated by the UAE Ministry of Economy and Planning, will take place as a separate census begins, sponsored by the Dubai Municipality, which entered its final phase on November 19.
Tedad is the most in depth census conducted in the UAE. It is also considered the most comprehensive study of the social and economic structure of the country.
Census workers will visit homes throughout the UAE to collect information regarding occupants, the relationship of all members with the head of the family, nationalities and duration of residence.
Other information to be gathered will be educational, marital and professional details, as well as data on family members with disabilities.
Electronic data related to the number of computer devices and internet connections in household will also be collected. Enumerators will be using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to facilitate tabulation.
"The last phase encompasses a process wherein enumerators will contact all individuals residing within the territories of the UAE," Hafsa Abdullah Al Ulama, Assistant Under-Secretary for Planning and Director-General of Census 2005, said, according to <i>Gulf News</i>.
"We call upon residents as well as citizens to cooperate in providing correct information, which will immensely help in obtaining accurate results. This in turn will influence plans and policies aimed at providing a better life for all," she added.
She stressed that citizens and residents are guaranteed privacy of the data divulged to the Tedad and that any information would be confidential.
Hafsa added: "The Tedad results will also help planners and researchers and will have a significant impact on setting up the economic and educational policies and will also contribute to building infrastructure that will suit the geographic distribution of the UAE's residents.
"It will provide vital benchmark data on the state of society, demography and the economy which will help in formulating a comprehensive strategic vision aimed at providing decent living standards to its citizens and residents."
The project was divided into two phases: the first phase, which began in September, detailed businesses, buildings, residential units as well as flats.
