Confederation raises “doubts” in IBGE data; August adjustment showed deficit of 7.9 million that were not included in the 2022 calculation
The CNM (National Confederation of Municipalities) asked this Monday (September 9, 2024) that the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) carry out a new population count in 2025, after raising doubts about the adjustment in the data from the 2022 Census, released by the IBGE on August 22.
The data varied by 3.9% – or 7.9 million more people – which was the largest since 2000. Previously, it was estimated that there were 202,952,784 people in July 2022. With the recalculation, there are 210,862,983 in the period. From this, it was estimated that the country had, on July 1, 2024, 212,583,750 inhabitants.
The high variation caused uncertainty regarding the real population situation of the municipalities. According to the CNM, if the “own ‘correction’ of the 2022 population, estimated by the IBGE at the end of August 2024 at 210.9 million, attests to the precariousness of the results of the Demographic Census”.
Rio de Janeiro, for example, was the city that gained the most people from the recount. There were more than 518 thousand people. São Paulo comes next, with 444 thousand and then Manaus, with 215 thousand. See the full list here.
Population data is used to distribute resources from the FPM (Municipal Participation Fund). In other words, the variation in the coefficient directly impacts whether the municipality receives more or less federal resources. According to the organization, 7 out of 10 cities have these resources as their main source of revenue.
A population count is a study focused, as its name suggests, on counting the population. This is different from a census, which also collects information on the population’s income, gender and housing conditions. The survey is conducted between censuses. For the CNM, the data is essential for municipal public policies.
“Comparing the Census data and population estimates, the speed of population growth observed between 2022 and 2024 is similar to that which occurred between the 1970s and 1980s. Considering that the Brazilian population has grown less over time, this data does not make sense. The Census does not reflect the reality of the Municipalities. How can public policies be made in this scenario?”, says the president of CNM, Paulo Ziulkoski.
CONTROVERSY AND CRITICISM OF THE 2022 CENSUS
The 2022 Census was also known for its series of postponements and uncertainties. By law, the Census is carried out every 10 years. The penultimate edition had been carried out in 2010, so the next version was scheduled for 2020.
However, the government of the former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) postponed the process to 2021 due to the pandemic. The following year, it was postponed again due to lack of resources. In 2022, the STF (Supreme Federal Court) determined that the government should take steps to carry out the Census in 2022.
After being launched, the 2022 Census was only completed in May 2023. After a series of unforeseen events, such as the population’s refusal to meet the census takers, the results were published in June of that year, showing a population of more than 203 million people.
#CNM #questions #Census #calls #population #count
