The 2030 World Population Census is expected to undergo significant technological and methodological changes. These changes are driven by the digitalization of people’s lives and the public services sector, the expansion of population data in information resources, and the requirement for statistics to provide up-to-date data in near real time.
The concept of population counting based on digital traces of “signs of life,” in particular, minimizes personal contact by census takers and eliminates the human factor. The UN Statistics Division is proceeding on this basis as it organizes the next round. At an international webinar organized to share best practices, the Moldovan statistical agency had valuable insights to share with its foreign counterparts.
Moldova’s Experience
Lilian Galer, Head of the General Directorate for Statistical Methods and Innovations at the National Bureau of Statistics, shared Moldova’s experience in using cadastral and other administrative data, as well as in implementing innovative methods of data integration and geocoding.
The use of the “vital signs” concept to improve estimates of the resident population by minimizing coverage errors was also presented. As part of the 2024 census and pilot projects, the National Bureau of Statistics is actively implementing geographic information systems and beginning to integrate administrative registers to verify the resident population.
Moldova’s experience in using geospatial information will not be the only innovation. The “signs of life” method—which, in statistics, refers to a person’s activity in government and commercial databases and on social media—confirms that the person actually resides in the country. The presence of these “traces” makes it possible to automatically count citizens without requiring personal contact with census takers.
Digital Traces
Citizens sometimes do not even realize how they leave “traces.” Receiving pensions and benefits, seeking medical care, registering purchases, or paying bills all confirm that a residence is not vacant. And modernized border control records and immigration service registries are essential for verifying the permanent population.
In the age of AI, the world’s population will be “counted” partially automatically—citizens will only need to confirm the information. AI’s ability to link an individual’s digital footprints across different databases (tax, healthcare, housing and utilities), even if there are discrepancies in the records, is immense.
The housing census is based on the same principles—neural networks analyze satellite imagery to identify new residential buildings, plan routes, and verify building density. Algorithms are being developed to minimize errors. Countries’ readiness to fully adopt this method varies and depends on their level of AI implementation.
Follow our updates
