1. Presentation of the Spanish Censuses
Fernando GIL ALONSO Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics (Barcelona)
Presentation of the Spanish Censuses
and Census Microdata
Workshop “Integrating European Census Microdata”
IPUMS
Barcelona, July 2005

2. Structure of the presentation
Short history of the Spanish Censuses
Existing Census Microdata
Microdata for 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses:
Characteristics of Microdata for 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses;
Variables present in these Censuses:
Variables regarding population: demography, structure of the households, migrations, education, mobility and economic activity;
Variables regarding housing: household, housing, and house facilities;
Confidentiality;
Access to data.

3. Short history of the Spanish Censuses
The origins
“Vecindarios” and “fogatges” (16th -17th Centuries)
Parish archives (16th - 19th Centuries)
The first censuses
Censo de Aranda (1768)
Censo de Floridablanca (1787)
Censo de Godoy (1797)
The modern Censuses
1857, 1860, 1887, 1897, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1981, 1991, 2001

4. Main features of 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses
The Spanish Censuses of 1981, 1991 and 2001 are “traditional” exhaustive censuses, but with differences between them at the methodological and conceptual levels:
1981 Census: exploitation of 20-25% of the questionnaires, depending on the province;
1991Census: exploitation of 100% of the questionnaires; absence of manual codification of variables; participation of regional governments, with specific questions; integration of information corresponding to dwellings and persons.
2001 Census: combination of this census with municipal registers (“Padron”), reducing the number of question asked to citizens; exploitation of 100% of the questionnaires.

5. Existing Census Microdata
The Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE) has microdata files for 1950, 1960, 1970, 1981, 1991 and 2001 Censuses, but the files from the first three censuses are in a non standard format. Therefore, the Spanish contribution to the IPUMS project is limited to the last three censuses: 1981, 1991 and 2001

6. Characteristics of the Microdata samples

7. Variables regarding population

8. Variables regarding population

9. Variables regarding population

10. Variables regarding housing

11. Variables regarding housing

12. Confidentiality
Several measures have been implemented to guarantee the confidentiality of the microdata samples:
anonymization;
aggregation of characteristics defining small groups;
combination of geographic detail, conceptual detail and
sample size: 5% of microdata files on households at regional level (no information at a lower geographical level is included)
data use only allowed for research purposes (previous authorisation is required)

13. Access to data
For Census older than 1991 no microdata files are available - access to data to be negotiated directly with INE;
Diffusion plan for 1991 Census allows the access to microdata samples with two levels of territorial desegregation: national and provincial;
Data access has been facilitated for 2001 Census: data request can be done directly through internet (http:

14. Links SPANISH NATIONAL STATISTICS INSTITUTE: http: www.ine.es:
DEMOGRAPHIC STUDIES CENTRE:
http:
IPUMS:
http:

15. Fernando GIL ALONSO e-mail: fgil@ced.uab.es
THANK YOU !
Fernando GIL ALONSO