All-Russia population census starts on Wednesday

The all-Russia population census starts on Wednesday. The census-taking will last till October 16. The aim of the census is "to collect information about the number of the population, its territorial distribution and other data needed to outline the prospects for social and economic development of the country," reads the Russian government's statement on census.

The State Statistics Committee compares census with a photo of all the Russian population in a certain period of time. For the last time such a "photo" was taken long ago, in 1989. According to Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, the forthcoming census is of particular importance for Russia given the unique transformations in our country over the last ten years.

Russians will be asked questions about their sex, date of birth, citizenship, nationality, knowledge of foreign languages, education, marital status, number of children, relations with family members, place of birth, living conditions, sources of earnings and employment, the Census-2002 federal press centre said.