The National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane) has begun this Tuesday, June 4, 2024, the National Economic Census (CEN), an operation that has not been carried out in Colombia for 34 years.
The objective of the census is to obtain a more precise balance of the country’s formal and informal economy through some three million surveysthus allowing critical data to be updated and policies designed for the development of the national industry.
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From a more detailed perspective, the census will cover five key sectors: transport, trade, services, manufacturing and construction. According to Dane, the operation will last for a period of 120 days, with the transportation sector being the first to be surveyed.
Piedad Urdinola, director of Dane, stated that this data collection marks “a technological milestone in the collection of statistical data in census operations”, since it will begin by self-filling a web form available until September 30, 2024.
The ambition of the census does not stop only at having updated data, but also includes the incorporation of information from the informal sector. This will allow a greater understanding of the characteristics and spatial distribution of the economic units in the capitals and populated centers of the country. The data collected will be examined and the final results are expected to be published in 2025.
As part of the effort, Dane also seeks to deeply investigate the productive units, which will offer valuable data for the formulation of economic and social policies in the future.
The Petro Government’s initiative also highlights the urgency of having a precise and renewed vision of the national economy, a fundamental requirement to manage effective public policies. The comprehensive evaluation of the aforementioned sectors and the inclusion of the informal sector will provide a comprehensive overview of the business and economic fabric of Colombia.
The National Economic Census that will be carried out starting Tuesday, June 4, 2024, will have a cost of more than $300,000 million, according to the state statistics entity. The official in charge specified that “By 2024, $302,213 million will be allocated”.
The National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane) detailed that this census will be carried out in the 32 departments of the country, including 1,102 municipal seats and urban areas of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina.
Regarding the methodology, the entity confirmed that the census will be carried out in three stages: web self-diligence, sweeping and counting. The first stage will involve companies in the transportation sector throughout the nation, according to what was stated by Piedad Urdinola, a Dane official.
Likewise, Dane stated that three million economic units are expected to be covered through this census. The surveys aim to integrate data from informal sectors, thus promoting an inclusive and complete vision of the national economic panorama. The entity also indicated that it is projected that the first results will be available in 2025.
The director of the entity Piedad Urdinola added: “It will be developed in three stages: web self-diligence, scanning and counting. The first stage is through web self-diligence and will reach companies in the transportation sector located throughout the national geography.” This process will contribute to expanding the database of economic sectors and promoting more effective public policies adjusted to the national reality.
The implementation of the census is expected to contribute significantly to national economic planning and allow for a better understanding of the country’s economic structure. The census also seeks to promote the formalization of informal businesses, increasing the accuracy of national statistics.
