Ethnic Groups Data Year

Year of census or official estimate used for ethnic group percentage breakdowns. Extracted from source metadata in CIA World Factbook 2020 edition. Represents the survey or census year when ethnic composition was measured, not publication year. Stored as integer year (e.g., 2018, 2011, 2001).

The year of ethnic group data indicates data currency and reliability. Recent data (< 5 years old) reflects current demographics, while outdated data (> 10 years) may not account for migration, conflict-driven displacement, or changing self-identification patterns. Census frequency varies widely - high-income countries typically conduct censuses every 10 years with ethnic categories, while some countries never collect ethnic data due to political sensitivities or constitutional provisions.

Current: 2020-2024 (very recent data - high confidence) Recent: 2015-2019 (reasonably current - minor changes expected) Moderate: 2010-2014 (outdated - migration and demographic changes likely) Old: 2000-2009 (significantly outdated - should be updated) Very Old: < 2000 (unreliable - major demographic shifts since then) Data age considerations: - Post-conflict countries: Pre-war data unreliable (Syria, South Sudan, Yemen) - High migration: Rapid change (UAE, Qatar, Gulf states see ethnic composition shift every 5 years) - Stable demographics: Slow change (Japan, Iceland, homogeneous countries) Examples: - UAE: Frequent updates needed (90% foreign-born, rapid turnover) - Brazil: Census every 10 years (2010, 2022) - France: Does not collect ethnic/racial data (constitutional prohibition) - US: Census every 10 years with detailed ethnic/racial categories Note: This is metadata for the ethnic_groups metric - it tells you when the ethnic breakdown was measured, helping users assess data quality.

Coverage: 233 countries (CIA Factbook 2020) Update frequency: Static (CIA Factbook 2020 snapshot) Source: CIA World Factbook via local HTML parsing Limitations: Year represents source year in Factbook, which may lag actual census (e.g., 2020 Factbook may cite 2015 census). Not all countries collect ethnic data - some report 'N/A' or have constitutional prohibitions (France). Ethnic categories vary by country and are often politicized (Rwanda post-genocide, Lebanon confessional system). Self-identification vs government classification differences. Small countries may never have conducted ethnic censuses.