Census of private establishments is considered one of the most important tasks undertaken by the GASTAT.
Establishments Census is also a valuable source for information on all economic activities number of employed and size of establishments in the Kingdom.
Private Establishments Census conducted by the CDSI in 1414 A.H, (1993 A.D) covered all private establishments and companies working in economic activities such as: petroleum & minerals, manufacturing, electricity, gas & water, construction, trade, hotels & restaurants, transport, storage & communications, banking and insurance and social & personal services. In addition, the census covered 158 out of all Kingdom' cities.
Methodology and Design of Census:
The methodology of complete counting of every operating establishment which has a fixed location and is practicing a specific economic activity within the boundaries of the city included in the enumeration was used.
And since the Establishment Census usually covers all administrative regions in the Kingdom, "1993 Establishment Census" covered all cities in which the number of economic establishments was (150 or over). Number of those cities was 158.
General Economic Census:
The General Economic Census of 1424 A.H. (2003A.D) is one of the most important statistical operations conducted by CDSI, and is a valuable source of economic information, since it is regarded as the largest economic census ever undertaken at the level of the Kingdom in terms of coverage, comprehensiveness and details.
One salient feature of the 2003 General Economic Census, is that it was not confined to a limited number of cities, as was the case in previous censuses, but covered all population settlements in the Kingdom (cities, governorates, centers, covered population settlements, Bedouins' grouping and resources…etc.) . Carrying out the "2003 General Economic Census" was coincided with the preparatory stage of the Kingdom's Population & Housing Census.
It was for the first time that the "2003 General Economic Census" covered all economic activities in the Kingdom including agriculture, which was excluded in all previous censuses. It was also distinguished with more and accurate details of the economic activities based on the directory of economic activities at the level of the 6-digit in order to meet the needs of modern economic systems.
Moreover, the 2003 General Economic Census went beyond the private and public sectors only covered in previous censuses, to cover also the government sector, non-profit establishments, as well as foreign sector.
In addition to collect data on the employed by nationality (Saudi / non-Saudi) and the size of annual revenues of working economic establishments, the 2003 General Economic Census collected new economic data, which was not available in previous censuses, such as the distribution of the employed by gender (male/female), economic establishment's paid capital and share of foreign partner.
Objectives of General Economic Census:
1. To provide economic data that meets the Kingdom's planning & development needs.
2. To provide economic data that meets the needs of the private & public sectors, planners, researchers and analysts.
3. To provide a modern and comprehensive frame to be utilized in all specialized economic surveys based on sample technique.
4. To provide a broad database to be used in carrying out studies and surveys needed for economic development programs.
5. To compare the survey's results with the previous economic series in the measurement of economic growth rates.
6. To study the size of the employed by gender and nationality and distribute them by the economic activity.
7. To study the most important indicators of the national economy structure, the contribution of the private sector in GDP and the structure of national accounts.
Methodology of Implementing the General Economic Census:
The methodology of complete counting of all establishments which have legal status, constant places and are practicing an economic activity in different national economic sectors within the boundaries of the Kingdom was used.
All establishments' data collected in the census form was referred to a specified time period.