|
|
GIS in Post-Census Perspective in Qatarby Mohd. Abdul Ghaffar |
| Contents Page | Al-Khabar Home Page | CGIS Home Page |
The article 'Qatar's GIS Network Key to Successful Census' by Dr. R.C.S. Taragiand Srinivas Reddy in the Spring 1997 issue of Al Khabar highlighted the role of GISnet in conducting the General Population and Housing Census 1997 in Qatar and the difference it has made for the conduct of the present census.
Qatar successfully conducted its General Population and Housing Census 1997 making significant use of the GIS technology. The technique has further ensured of more accurate results and paved the way for similar surveys to be conducted in future.
It will be worth repeating the salient features of the role the GIS technique played during the pre-census work of 1997 Census. This was the first time the entire mapping requirement for a census or survey was carried out within CSO through GISnet. The up-to- date information made available on-line by the concerned agencies was extensively used. The maps were produced at different scales ranging from 1:500 to 1:100000, depending on the requirements and spatial characteristics of the area, within a short period of time accessing the information on-line from different agencies' databases. Specialized maps of different sizes with necessary details were given to the census staff at different levels of administrative hierarchy. In many cases the changes in the census block boundaries made by the staff during census charge area demarcation and house numbering and listing operation were quickly incorporated through the system and updated maps of the area were supplied.
The plot numbers, street numbers and names supplied for the first time on these census field maps played an important role for orientation and house numbering in the field. Further, a list of street ranges and plot numbers generated through GIS for each census block in urban areas not only facilitated the house listing operation but also significantly helped the supervisory staff in checking and verification of the house numbering and listing.
Satellite and more recent ortho images (aerial photographs) for the whole country were made available through GISnet to supplement the line maps for detailed and up-to-date ground information. The satellite and ortho images were extremely helpful in outside urban areas especially in locating the farms and settlements and guiding the way following small tracts appearing on the images.
For the first time GPS was used for the census in 1997. It played a very important role in demarcating the territorial boundaries and census charge areas over the ground and in locating and reaching the farms and settlements scattered over the desert area.
The role of GIS for census operations and
statistical surveys does not end here. There is a greater
scope for GIS in post-census work of data compilation,
processing, analysis and dissemination. Qatar's Central
Statistical Organization, the agency responsible for all
statistical operations in the country, looks forward to
using the latest techniques of GIS for more post-census
work.
The process has already started by updating the census blocks coverage for the changes that were encountered during the census field work and generating street ranges list for each census block to run consistency checks during data entry and compilation. Census blocks are the main units of census data compilation and tabulation.
Through GISnet, valuable census data for different administrative units (Municipality/Zone/Census Block) will be made available on-line for the ready references and use of various government agencies in Qatar that will help the planners, administrators and the decision makers.
The GIS applications for query and display of 1997 census results are being developed. Through these applications one can interactively query the statistics of selected administrative units, can do better analysis and display the results on screen and take a hard copy out put as well. The statistical data interpreted in combination with other geographic databases of different agencies helps scientifically finding out the solutions to many socio-economic issues and problems.
There is a detailed programme to analyse the census data in terms of its geographic distribution and inter-relationship. Consequently, unlike the 1986 Census publications, all the 1997 Census publications will include a good number of thematic maps in support of the statistical tables. This will not only make the presentation more scientific and useful but will also help in communicating better with a variety of users of census data.
Towards this endeavor a socio-economic atlas of Qatar is also being prepared using techniques of GIS. The atlas will consist a variety of topics dealing with the country's socio-economic profile. Each topic will include a number of themes that are explained through maps, charts and tables along with the explanatory notes for each topic.