Adopted by the State Duma on 27 December 2001
Approved by the Council of the Federation on 16 January 2002

The All-Russian Census of Population is the main source of generation of national information resources relating to the size and structure of population, its dispersal on the territory of the Russian Federation in combination with the social and economic characteristics, national and language structure, and educational level of population.

Article 1. The All-Russian Census of Population And the Main Principles of Taking Thereof

1. The All-Russian Census of Population (hereinafter – the Census of population) shall be understood as collection of information on individuals residing on the territory of the Russian Federation as of a specified date, and shall be taken throughout the Russian Federation on the basis of the uniform state statistical methodology with a view towards receiving generalised demographic, economic and social information.

2. The All-Russian Census of Population shall be taken with the observance of human rights to privacy and inviolability of dwelling.

3. Information received in the course of the All-Russian Census of Population cannot be used for inflicting property and moral damage to an individual and hindering the implementation of his rights and freedoms.

4. Participation in the All-Russian Census of Population shall be a public duty of an individual.

Article 2. The Legal Basis of the All-Russian Census of Population

The legal basis of the All-Russian Census of Population shall be the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the present Federal Law, other federal laws and other regulatory acts of the Russian Federation.

Article 3. The Regularity and Periods for Taking the All-Russian Census of Population

1. The All-Russian Census of Population shall be taken every ten years.

2. The All-Russian Census of Population shall represent a period during which information on population is collected. The date of the All-Russian Census of Population shall be the moment (year, month, day and hour) as of which information on population is collected and accounting thereof is carried out.

3. The period and date for taking the All-Russian Census of Population shall be established by the Russian Federation Government.

Article 4. Individuals To Be Covered by the All-Russian Census of Population

1. The All-Russian Census of Population shall cover:

1) Citizens of the Russian Federation, foreign individuals and stateless individuals residing in the Russian Federation as at the date of the All-Russian Census of Population, except for the foreign individuals specified in paragraph 2 of this Article;

2) citizens of the Russian Federation that are residents of the Russian Federation, but are outside the Russian Federation as of the date of the All-Russian Census of Population.

2. The All-Russian Census of Population shall not cover foreign individuals possessing immunity and privileges under international treaties of the Russian Federation.

Article 5. The Organisation of the All-Russian Census of Population

1. With a view towards taking the All-Russian Census of Population, the Russian Federation Government, within its competence, shall determine the following:

1) the federal executive authority responsible for the preparation and taking of the All-Russian Census of Population, processing of the information collected, summarising of the results of the All-Russian Census of Population and the methodological support thereof (hereinafter – the federal executive body in charge of the All-Russian Census of Population);

2) the federal executive authorities responsible for:

the organisation and methodological support of cartographic materials (outline plans of urban and rural population centers, administrative district maps) that are necessary for taking the All-Russian Census of Population;

taking census of certain population groups;

maintenance of security of individuals in charge of collecting information on population, safety of population census forms and other documents relating to the All-Russia Census of Population;

3) details of the organisation and taking of the census of population in certain regions of the Russian Federation.

2. The federal executive authorities, appointed by the Russian Federation Government in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present Article, in implementing their powers relating to the preparation and taking of the All-Russian Census of Population, shall cooperate with the executive authorities of Russian Federation constituents. The responsibility for coordinating the activity of said federal executive authorities and executive authorities of Russian Federation constituents shall rest with the special body (commission) set by the Russian Federation Government for this purpose.

3. The executive authorities of Russian Federation constituents and local government administrative bodies shall, within their competence, assist the federal executive authority in charge of the All-Russian Census of Population in exercising its powers:

1) clarify a list and borders of municipal formations, ensure the availability of boards with the names of streets, numbers of buildings and apartments;

2) provide necessary cartographic materials;

3) provide premises equipped with communication facilities and suitable for the work of individuals engaged in population data collection, storage of population census forms and other documents relating to the All-Russian Census of Population, transport vehicles, communication devices, as well as relevant information and materials.

4. Local administrative bodies shall assist the federal executive body responsible for the All-Russian Census of Population in attracting residents of relevant municipal formation to the data collection process.

Article 6. Information on Population and the Procedures for Collecting Thereof

1. Information on population shall contain the following data on individuals to be covered by the All-Russian census of Population:

gender;
age (date of birth);
citizenry (citizenship status, dual-citizenship, name of the country or countries of the respondent’s citizenry);
nationality;
competence in languages (native, Russian, other languages);
general education (elementary general, basic general, secondary (high-school) general) and professional education (basic vocational, secondary vocational, postsecondary vocational, graduate vocational education);
marriage status;
number of children;
family relations with cohabiting individuals;
place of birth (country, a Russian Federation constituent);
place of residence and (or) seat (name of the country, a Russian Federation constituent, municipal formation, rural/urban population center);
housing conditions (type of the dwelling, building date, total and living space, number of rooms, types of dwelling improvements);
sources of means of subsistence (income from labour activities or other occupation, pension, including disability annuity, scholarship, benefit, other social welfare, other means of subsistence);
employment (work or other occupation which is a source of means of subsistence, or the absence thereof).

Temporary residents of the Russian Federation, who domicile outside the Russian Federation, shall be enquired of the purpose of their arrival in the Russian Federation.

2. Collection of information not stipulated by paragraph 1 of the present Article, as well as forcing the respondents to provide the above information on themselves shall not be allowed.

3. Information on population shall be collected by means of enquiry and completion of population census forms in visiting dwelling and other premises, in which the respondents reside (seat). Said information shall be also collected using communication devices or in special premises provided for this purpose by the executive authorities of the Russian Federation and (or) by local administrative bodies in line with Article 5.3.3 of the present Federal Law.

4. Enquiry shall be carried out in the Russian language. Enquiries in Russian Federation Republics shall be carried out in the relevant state language. Enquiries in the places of compact residence of indigenous and small peoples may be carried out in their language. If the respondent is not competent in the language of the inquiry, he/she should be provided with interpreter’s services.

5. Population census forms shall be completed in the Russian language by the individuals engaged in the collection of information as represented by the respondents.

Article 7. Population Census Forms and Other Documents Relating to the All-Russian Census of Population

1. A Population Census Form shall represent a standard document that contains information on individuals residing in the Russian Federation as of the date of the taking of said census of population.

2. Blank population census forms shall contain questions to respondents with a view towards obtaining information specified in Article 6.1 of the present Federal Law. Blank population census forms shall be approved by the Russian Federation Government.

3. Population census forms and other documents relating to the All-Russian Census of Population that contain information on population shall have special protection, the level of which shall be determined by procedures established by the Russian Federation Government.

4. The procedures for storing population census forms and other documents relating to the All-Russian Census of Population shall be determined by the Russian Federation Government.

Article 8. Guarantees of Protection of Information on Population Stated in Population Census Forms

1. Information on population stated in population census forms shall be considered confidential and shall not be divulged (disseminated). Said information shall be used for generating federal information resources.

2. Information on population stated in population census forms shall be processed in conditions that ensure protection from unauthorised access and prevention of stealing, loss, falsification or other misstatement.

3. Staff of state bodies, local administrative bodies and organisations, as well as other individuals who have access to information on population stated in population census forms by virtue of office and committed a loss or divulgence, or falsified (encouraged the falsification of) said information, shall be liable under the Russian Federation legislation. The obligation not to divulge confidential information on population received in the course of the All-Russian Census of Population shall be envisaged by labour contracts signed with individuals engaged in the census process, and in respect to officials – by regulatory acts of the Russian Federation Government.

Article 9. Individuals Engaged in the Collection of Information on Population and Remuneration Thereof

1. Collection of information on population shall be carried out by specially trained Russian Federation residents.

2. The organisation or training and terms of remuneration of individuals engaged in the collection of information on population shall be determined in accordance with procedures established by the Russian Federation Government.

Article 10. Summarising the Results of the All-Russian Censsus of Population

1. Summarising the results of the All-Russian Census of Population shall be carried out in accordance with the procedures and within the deadlines established by the Russian Federation Government.

2. The results of the All-Russian Census of Population shall be available to every man and shall be published in official communication media.

Article 11. Sources of Financing the All-Russian Census of Population

1. The preparation and taking of the All-Russian Census of Population, as well as summarising and publication of its results, shall be financed out of the Federal Budget.

2. The implementation of actions stated in Article 5.3.3 of the present Federal Law shall be financed out of the Budgets of Russian Federation constituents and local Budgets within the limits allocated to Russian Federation constituents and municipal formations respectively from the Federal Budget in compliance with the Russian Federation legislation.

3. The Russian Federation Government shall determine procedures for allocating funds from the Federal Budget to the Budgets of Russian Federation constituents and local budgets for financing expenses relating to the implementation of actions stated in Article 5.3.3 of the present Federal Law.

Article 12. Effectiveness of the Present Federal Law

The present Federal Law shall become effective on the day of the official publication thereof.

V.Putin,
The Russian Federation President

Moscow, Kremlin
25 January 2002
No. 8-FZ

Seal: The Russian Federation President
President’s Office