Dear Editor,

I refer to the letter in the Jamaica Observer of October 30, "Census figures do not correlate".

For census purposes the island is divided into small geographic areas called enumeration districts. These are classified urban or rural, based on established criteria. For the 2011 census there were 5,776 enumeration districts - 2,909 urban, 2,867 rural. The number of districts, urban and rural, vary by parish. The fact that both East Rural and West Rural St Andrew contain enumeration districts classified as urban account for the discrepancies in the totals for St Andrew observed by the reader. Our constituency names have existed for many years, and no doubt in the beginning these constituencies were entirely rural.

One of the outputs from the censuses of Jamaica since 1970 is a series of Map Volumes which present detailed maps and descriptions and classification of all the census areas. These allow researchers and other users to examine the boundary changes over time. At a later date, the volumes for the 2011 census will be published. In the meantime, the staff of our Geographic Services Unit are able to provide guidance and assistance on this subject.

Valerie Nam

Director,

Censuses and Demographic Statistics

Statistical Institute of Jamaica

7 Cecelio Avenue, Kingston 10

vnam@statinja.gov.jm