The Lao government has officially launched the country's fifth population and housing census, with data collection set to begin on Nov. 3, to gather accurate, up-to-date information to support policymaking and national development.
A launch ceremony was held in Lao capital Vientiane on Monday, marking the start of the countdown to the nationwide census, conducted every 10 years to collect essential data on the country's population, Lao Economic Daily reported on Tuesday.
In his speech, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone emphasized the importance of the nationwide survey, which will cover every household and individual living in Laos. The census will collect vital information on population size, housing conditions, employment, migration, and vulnerable groups.
The data collected will serve as a reference for designing national socio-economic development plans, monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, and formulating policies on population and human resource development.