Chapter 1 

Introduction

This last volume of the final report on the Census of Population and Housing 1995 includes detailed reports on the housing conditions in the Maltese Islands and their contents. However, before presenting some of the salient findings in chapter 2, it is opportune to review a number of important definitions that underlie some of the questions in the Census questionnaire.

1.1 Room: this is defined as a space that is enclosed by walls reaching from the floor to the ceiling or roof covering, or at least to a height of 2 metres above the ground, of a size large enough to hold a bed for an adult (4 square metres at least) and at least 2 metres high over the major area of the ceiling.

1.2 Kitchen: this is defined as a room (or part of a room) of at least 4 square metres or two metres wide that has been designed and equipped for the preparation of the principal meals and is used for that purpose, irrespective of whether it is also used for eating, sleeping or living.

1.3 Kitchenette: this is defined as a separate space with less than 4 square metres or two metres width of floor space.

1.4 Bedroom: this is a room that is used exclusively for sleeping in.

1.5 House: this is a self-contained suite of rooms with one or more floors with a separate entrance accessible from the street and not underlying or overlying other structures. A house may be:

(a) a terraced house, that is a house that is attached to other structures on both sides;

(b) a semi-detached house, that is a house that is attached to other structures on one side only;

(c) a fully-detached house, that is a house that does not touch other structures, with yards or gardens all round;

(d) a ground floor tenement (terran), that is a self-contained room or suite of rooms at ground level with a separate entrance accessible from the street, either with or without other structures overlying;

(e) an apartment or flat, that is a self-contained room or suite of rooms with a separate entrance accessible from a common passage, landing or stairway.

(f) a maisonette, that is a self-contained room or suite of rooms at first floor level with separate entrance accessible from the street and other structures underlying (garages or terrans);

(g) a cellar, that is a self-contained room or suite of rooms one metre or more below street level with separate entrance on street and other structures overlying;

(h) a housing unit, that is a place not actually designed for human habitation but which was nevertheless occupied at the time of the Census (examples: barn, mill, rock shelter, cave, hut cabin, trailer, shack).

Volume 6 Tables
Dwellings

Volume 6 Chapter 2: Household and Dwellings