2011 Housing and Population Census in the Czech Republic UNECE – Eurostat Meeting on Population and Housing Censuses Geneva, May 2012

Basic information 2011 Population census in the Czech Republic used for first time combination of paper and electronic forms. All households obtained the paper forms with ID and they had possibility to chose which type of forms they can use – the paper or the e-form. The households had the same period for completion of the both types of forms – 4 weeks. Both types of the forms were pre-completed using data from administrative sources (permanent address, characteristics of houses).

Technical characteristics The best intersection between functionality and openness to be the Adobe technology with the PDF format and the Adobe Acrobat application. Advantage for users: the Adobe Reader multiplatform is available for free. The electronic questionnaires were developed as separate PDF document for each type of form – persons, buildings and dwellings form. The e-forms looked like their paper versions. The distribution and the collection of the e-forms were conducted from two separate localities.

Technological infrastructure

Information and education Educational campaign trough mass-media focused on different target groups of the population several months before the decisive moment of the census. The CZSO launched a special WWW presentation for the public with information about access to the e-forms, their filling, advantages and data protection.

E-forms flow

Data protection The technology had to guarantee the personal data protection within all phases of data collection and processing. Access to the pre-filled e-forms only with the original ID and a security code (2 keys). Completed forms were not saved in the computer due to utilization of PCs in the public rooms, libraries etc. Confirmation about delivery of the e-forms to the CZSO.

Questionnaires Collection

Collection via Internet in days and houres

Electronic census forms – results Totally collected 4,33 mil e-forms. The share of e-forms in all filled forms attained 25,5%. The highest number of e-forms collected per day – 1. day = forms. 44 % of all e-forms were sent during the first week. 40 % of all e-forms were filled between 6 and 10 p.m. Average time consumption for filling of one e-form was 10 minutes.

Electronics forms – results II. Typical person using e-forms: a man (50,2 %) or a woman (49,8 %) age 30 – 39 years (but oldest: one was aged 106 years, youngest: 62 children were aged exactly one day on the census decisive moment) secondary or university degree employee or entrepreneur large town (100 thous. and more) living at household with PC and connection on Internet.

Contacts, Information, Results Languages: Czech and English