Khaberni - Dr. Haider Freihat, the Director of the General Department of Statistics, said that the General Census of Population and Housing 2026 is considered one of the largest and most important national statistical projects, as it provides accurate data that forms the basis for drawing public policies and making economic and social decisions, confirming that the census is conducted using a comprehensive counting method without relying on samples, and covers all dwellings, families, and establishments in various regions of the kingdom.
Freihat explained during his chairing the first meeting of the media committee for the General Census of Population and Housing 2026, that the preparations for the census began two years ago, and the implementation process was divided into four main stages, two of which have been successfully completed, while the department recently entered the third phase, to be concluded by the actual counting in the fourth and final phase during the current year.
He pointed out that the first phase included extensive office preparation, which involved reviewing the experience of the previous census, benefiting from accumulated experiences, coordinating with international organizations and relevant government entities, and agreeing on the questions to be included in the census forms according to precise statistical, technical, financial, and timing controls, ensuring the shortening of the field visit time to the family without compromising data quality.
Freihat referred to the second phase as "Bundles," which relied on high-precision aerial images that covered the entire area of the kingdom of about 89,000 square kilometers, through which Jordan was divided into 24,000 electronic statistical blocks, according to standards that ensure fair distribution of field burden on researchers, and which includes all forms of dwellings without exception, from houses, flats, buildings, tents, bedouin tents, caves, and kiosks.
Freihat added that this phase took several months and involved hundreds of field personnel, and it was enhanced by the "Bundles Plus" phase, which included direct field verification of the nature of the buildings and their uses, contributing to the accuracy and readiness for the next phase.
He mentioned that the third phase, which has recently started, is the enumeration phase, where about 600 field researchers are working for a period of about six months, whose tasks involve enumerating residential units and resident families without entering homes, in preparation for the actual counting, explaining that all census stages are supported by an advanced technological infrastructure that includes central servers, secure communication networks, and tablets equipped with geographic positioning systems.
Freihat confirmed that the fourth and final phase will see the participation of between 8,000 to 10,000 field researchers, most of them from new staff who will undergo intensive training programs and are subject to strict human and electronic supervision and monitoring, to ensure the highest levels of accuracy and credibility.
He emphasized the pivotal role of the media committee in the success of the census, stating that the upcoming period will see a gradual intensification of messages and media campaigns, to achieve full community awareness of the importance of the census and cooperation with the researchers, considering it a national project that serves both the state and the citizen alike.
The meeting discussed a brief presentation of what has been accomplished from the stages of the General Census of Population and Housing 2026, in addition to presenting a detailed briefing on the recently launched field enumeration phase, also discussing the media plan for the enumeration phase, and exploring mechanisms for its implementation and ensuring its synchrony with the fieldwork.
