Cuba to hold new census in 2012

Cuba will hold a new census in September 2012, the director of the National Statistics Office (NSO) said Tuesday.

"This national counting is included in the World Census Round 2010-2012, adopted by the Statistical Commission of the United Nations," Oscar Mederos said.

One of the purposes of the new census is to update the figures and other data on the local population, gathered in the last census in September 2002.

Data will also be renewed on the housing situation in the island country, the official said.

Calls are growing for Cuban authorities to update the information on housing, as more than 1 million of the 3.9 million houses in the country have been affected by natural disasters since the last census eight years ago.

Mederos also said Cuba was elected to chair the Special Committee on Population and Development of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean for 2010-2012.

Source: Xinhua