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Angola Counting On First Census Since 1970 To Help Cut Poverty
Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos (C) waves as he leaves after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, April 29, 2014. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer
By Shrikesh Laxmidas
16/05/2014
LUANDA (Reuters) - Angola started its first population census in over four decades on Friday, a survey that the president said would help speed up delivery of basic services in an oil-rich country where over a third of people live in poverty.
The last census was conducted in 1970 when Angola was still under Portuguese rule. The long interruption was caused by a 27-year civil war that started after independence in 1975 and ended only a dozen years ago.
President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been in power in Africa's No.2 oil producer since 1979, has been credited with Angola's rapid economic growth since the conflict.
But he has also been accused by opponents and rights groups of doing too little to fight poverty, which he says affects 36 percent of an estimated population of 18-20 million people.
"The path to travel is still long until we reach well-being and wealth for all," he said in a televised statement. "To reach that goal more quickly... we need to know how many and where we are as a first step to better organise our society."
For two weeks, nearly 80,000 young Angolans will visit households across the country, gathering data on residents and their living conditions, such as access to electricity, water and employment.
"It's very important so I am proud to take part and help improve the country," said Vitoria Carlos, who supervises a team of five census agents in central Luanda's Maianga neighbourhood.
The census is the first for most Angolans and officials are concerned some may be reluctant to respond, reflecting the distrust many still feel towards strangers and the authorities after decades of conflict.
National Statistics Institute (INE) chief Camilo Ceita urged political parties, churches, and civil society groups to convince people to take part.
Angola is Africa's seventh-largest country, covering 1.25 million square kilometres - twice the size of France - and much of its infrastructure has been laid waste by war, although Ceita said the census' $200 million budget was enough for the task.
The final results should be ready in 18 months but Ceita said provisional data on the size of the population by gender and province could be ready in three or four months.
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