Association of National Census and Statistics Directors
of America, Asia, and the Pacific

Mission and Background

The mission of the Association is to foster communication and cooperation in the collection and analysis of comprehensive statistical information on human populations and their behavior. The Association conducts conferences, research, and other activities relevant to its mission. Participants in the activities of the Association include not only heads of national census and statistical offices but also representatives from other relevant regional and international organizations as well as researchers and other persons interested in the activities of the Association.

Thus far in its history, the Association's major activity is the series of Population Census Conferences that are conducted at intervals of approximately 1.5 to 2 years. The first Population Census Conference took place at the East-West Center in Honolulu in 1971, and the 21st (most recent) Population Census Conference took place in Kyoto, Japan, in 2003, hosted by the Statistics Bureau of Japan.

The Population Census Conferences were originally part of the East-West Center's conference program. In 1991 the Association of National Census and Statistics Directors of America, Asia, and the Pacific (ANCSDAAP) was formed and incorporated under the laws of the State of Hawaii, U.S.A. All Population Census Conferences since 1991, starting with the 14th, have been conducted under the auspices of ANCSDAAP and hosted either by a census and statistics office in the region or by the East-West Center. The East-West Center continues to provide secretariat services to ANCSDAAP.