Title: Population policy diskette documentation, 1987.

POPLINE Document Number: 203706

Corporate Author(s):

United Nations. Department of International Economic and Social Affairs

Source citation:

New York, New York, United Nations, Department of International Economic and Social Affairs, 1987. vi, 25 p. (Population Policy Paper No. 11|ST/ESA/SER.R/73)

Abstract:

This documentation describes a machine readable database entitled GLOBAL REVIEW AND INVENTORY OF POPULATION POLICIES: 1987, which is provided on an accompanying diskette. The diskette described contains data on the population policies and policy perceptions of 170 countries, assessed as of February 27, 1987. Data are drawn from information in the Population Policy Data Bank of the Population Division of the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs of the UN Secretariat. 1 of the principal aims of disseminating the database on diskette is to encourage knowledgeable individuals to inform the Population Division of any instance where its coding of population policy in a particular country appears to be in conflict with the current situation. Policy topics covered in the files include population growth, mortality, fertility, internal migration and spatial distribution, immigration, emigration, and the integration of population variables into the development planning process. There is also information about a number of demographic indicators, which include current and projected population size, current fertility and mortality levels, population growth rates, and proportions foreign born. Data files are provided in several different formats with several different types of data dictionary. Data files on the diskette include 1) a standard ASCII data file in rectangular fixed format, whose variables and layout are described in the data dictionary reproduced in section 2; 2) a LOTUS 1-2-3 spreadsheet data file, whose layout is described in section 3; and 3) an SPSS-PC+ system file. The data dictionary files on the diskette include 1) a standard data dictionary which documents the ASCII file, 2) an SPSS-PC+ dictionary, 3) an SPSS version 9 dictionary, 4) a full dictionary that provides a more complete description of variable names, variable labels, and the value labels associated with each value code, and 5) a mapping of variable names and locations in the LOTUS 1-2-3 spreadsheet. Section 1 of this document reviews the files provided on the diskette. Section 2 contains a printed copy of the standard data dictionary provided on the diskette. A summary view of the variables is given in Section 3, which gives only the variable names. Section 4 contains a more complete description of the variables in the form of extended variable and value labels, and Section 5 contains order forms for requesting additional copies of the diskette and documentation.

Keywords:

Developed Countries
Developing Countries
Data Files
Terminology
Computer Programs and Programming
Population Growth
Mortality
Fertility
International Migration
Population Distribution
Migration, Internal
Population Policy
Information Processing
Information
Population Dynamics
Demographic Factors
Population
Migration
Geographic Factors
Social Policy
Policy