| 2. Selected
notes on data
This publication covers only country data (i.e. sub-national
data such as urban/rural are not included here). In
addition, only statistics that are available for both
women and men are included in the publication. For
indicators, only those enabling the comparison between
women and men are included.
For the purpose of the international comparison of
data, a consistent set of demographic estimates and
projections are given in the publication. It consists
of the following:
- total population by sex and age;
- labour force by sex and age;
- labour force by industry division;
- illiterate population (aged 15 and above) by sex;
- maternal deaths; and
- selected demographic indicators (such as total
fertility rate, life expectancy at birth by sex,
infant mortality and mortality under 5 years).
The total population estimates and projections by
sex and age are based on the latest United Nations
1998 revision. The United Natons has periodically
revised the total population series, in general every
two years. The benchmark estimates correspond to the
years 1985, 1990, 1995 and 1998, and the projections
(medium variant ) cover the period 2000 and 2010.
The 1998 estimates are interpolated figures.
Estimates and projections of the labour force were
obtained by applying the United Nations total population
by sex and age, the ILO estimates and projections
of sex and age specific activity rates, for the specific
year. The rates as assessed by ILO in 1996 were used.
Estimates and projections of the illiterate population
were obtained by applying the United Nations total
population (aged 15 years and above) by sex, the UNESCO
estimates and projections of sex specific percentages
of the illiterate for the specific years. UNESCO revised
the percentages in 1996. Estimates of maternal mortality
were obtained by applying the United Nations average
number of live births for the year 1990 and WHO/UNICEF
maternal mortality ratios for the corresponding year
. The ratios were revised by WHO/UNICEF in 1996.
As regards the indicators mentioned in item (f) above,
they were also prepared by the United Nations Population
Division as parameters for the preparation of estimates
and projections of the total population.
With the exception of estimates and projections of
total population, the estimates and projections of
small countries (generally those with a total population
of less than 200,000 in 1990) are not shown separately
in the relevant tables. They have, however, been roughly
estimated and included in the ESCAP, sub-regional
and economic group totals.
The growth rate between two points in time is based
on exponential growth.
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