The actual field enumeration for Jordan’s 2026 General Population and Housing Census begins today, Sunday, and will continue through the end of October.
Around 12,000 researchers will conduct the field enumeration across the Kingdom’s 12 governorates, divided into three regions. Each researcher will be responsible for one or two statistical blocks.
A block is a statistical area with electronically defined boundaries using the Global Positioning System (GPS). Researchers will use mapping technology to locate homes and then knock on the door to conduct the enumeration. The questionnaire may be completed in front of, inside or outside the home, depending on what the resident considers appropriate.
If no one is present, the researcher will agree with the respondent—whether the head of household or the person answering the door—on another time for the visit. Visits will take place throughout the month and on all days of the week, including Fridays and Saturdays, during both morning and evening hours, depending on the area and prevailing circumstances.
Visit schedules may be adjusted according to weather conditions. Residents’ sleeping and waking patterns also vary between governorates, such as Aqaba, and all such circumstances will be taken into account during field operations.
The self-enumeration process began Thursday and continued through Saturday, targeting 170,000 households that had been identified in advance as meeting the requirements for self-enumeration. The Department of Statistics began identifying households interested in the process in February and continued through July this year.
The department sent self-enumeration links to all eligible households on Thursday morning, allowing them to complete the questionnaire on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Those who did not receive a link will be enumerated in the field starting Sunday, as residents cannot currently be included in self-enumeration unless they had registered for the process beforehand.
Director General of the Department of Statistics Haidar Freihat told Al Mamlaka that most residents in Jordan, both citizens and non-citizens, were not sent links and were not included in the self-enumeration process. He noted that self-enumeration and field enumeration are very similar in terms of the time required to complete the questionnaire.
Freihat stressed that everyone who does not hold a national number is included in the census, calling for particular attention to non-Jordanians across all groups and categories. He emphasized that the questionnaire does not contain questions about income or property ownership. For non-Jordanians, it is also not linked to their residency status in Jordan or to work permits for those employed in the country.
He confirmed that there is no connection between the questionnaire and any other government database or department, explaining that the census is limited to residents and their characteristics.
The questionnaire operates intelligently, directing respondents, based on whether they are Jordanian or hold a national number, to a set of questions designated for Jordanians or another set intended for non-Jordanians, while skipping questions that are not relevant to each case.
The respondent must be an adult who is familiar with the household’s circumstances and characteristics. This could be the husband, wife, son or daughter aged over 18.
When asked about health insurance coverage or the educational status of each household member, the person present must be capable of providing this information.
The same applies to non-Jordanians. Some of their residences may not consist of families in the traditional sense but may instead be shared accommodation for young people, including foreign students or migrant workers. In such cases, one of the residents may act as the respondent, provided they are familiar with the circumstances of those living with them and able to answer on their behalf.
If a household member refuses to provide information or receive the researcher, the Department of Statistics is relying primarily on the awareness of citizens and non-citizens. The department stressed that the process does not violate privacy and that the information provided will not affect individuals except in a positive manner.
In cases of refusal, the researcher will agree with the person on another visit at a convenient time. If the second appointment is also unsuitable, a third visit will be arranged. A senior and more experienced researcher will then visit to encourage the citizen or non-citizen to receive the researcher and provide the required information.
The department has taken steps to reduce potential reasons for refusal, including assigning researchers who are from the local area and familiar with the community. In many cases, the researcher will be a local teacher and may already be familiar to the household.
The department hopes residents will give researchers around 15 to 30 minutes to complete the required information, noting that the census is conducted once every 10 years.
Regarding logistical challenges, including connectivity and internet access, particularly in remote areas, Freihat said the department had prepared alternative plans—“A, B and C”—for every anticipated field challenge.
Potential challenges include weak radio or cellular coverage in some areas, as well as cold weather and other weather conditions. If conditions are unsuitable, researchers will visit areas that are ready and return later to areas where conditions are not suitable to collect the required data.
In some areas, the department will enlist local residents to accompany statistical researchers, ensuring that researchers are accompanied by members of the same community and helping residents or others feel more comfortable.
Field teams and relevant authorities in governorates, villages and cities are also fully prepared to facilitate the researchers’ work and reduce the time required to collect the data.
Freihat stressed that the questions are simple and require no complicated thinking, but are statistically significant and will later be analyzed by the department.
Regarding the housing census, the department previously conducted two visits. The first took place more than a year ago to identify statistical blocks, followed by the “enumeration process,” during which researchers stood outside buildings and created profiles of different buildings and housing units in cities, villages and agricultural areas.
These two stages were followed by the current phase, which involves direct communication with household heads and collecting information from them.
Regarding the results of self-enumeration, Freihat said the department sent the links on Thursday in two batches, morning and evening. It did not yet have figures for the first day, while the process continued on Friday and Saturday before the field enumeration began Sunday.
He stressed that the census is “by the people and for the people,” aiming to improve development planning for infrastructure, services and public benefits for citizens and non-citizens, as well as their children and grandchildren.
He noted that the census is protected by law and that the data of citizens and non-citizens is legally protected, while the department needs this information once every 10 years.
Freihat urged citizens and non-citizens to set aside 15 to 30 minutes to provide their information, considering this one way for people to express their citizenship and love for their country.
He said the statistical researcher is “their son, brother or sister,” while the Department of Statistics is a guest in citizens’ homes, expressing hope that residents will help researchers provide accurate and clear information in the service of Jordan.
