Despite the fact that one of the key sources of information about socio-demographic characteristics of the population of Russia is the system of recording of civil status acts, which are in bodies the registry office, the census provides the most accurate information.

Objectives of the census and its legislative framework


The importance of conducting population census in the country due to the nature of the information that it allows to the citizens, as well as its universal coverage. So, in addition to accounting for population, the census collects information on citizens, allowing to estimate the distribution of the population across the country, national and language composition, education level and other important characteristics. These tasks and the procedure of organization and conducting of census of population recorded in the main document regulating the issues of conducting the census in the Russian Federation - Federal law No. 8-FZ of 25 January 2002 On the national census".


Thus when carrying out each activity has a wide range of basic and additional regulatory acts setting the requirements for its implementation. Thus, the main provisions concerning the latest census of 2010, were recorded in the RF Government Resolution No. 1074 "On the organization of all-Russia population census 2010".

The periodicity of the census


This legal act establishes the periodicity of population census in the Russian Federation. Thus, article 3 of the law On census of the population" specifies that this activity should not be undertaken less than 1 time in 10 years. However, the date of establishment of the Russian Federation officially is December 25, 1991, when it was adopted the Law of the RSFSR of December 25, No. 2094-I "to change the name of the state Russian Soviet Federative socialist Republic" according to which our state received a new name. The first population census in the country was conducted in October 2002.

In the future, however, the dates were given in accordance with applicable law. So, the next census was held in October 2010, that is ahead of schedule - after 8 years since the previous event. It is expected that the next census will be held in the Russian Federation in strict accordance with the law in 2020. While in 2015 it is planned to hold the microcensus, which will be less than 1% of households.