1. Overview of Approaches to Register-Based Populating Censuses
Regional Workshop on the 2010 World Programme on Population and Housing Censuses
Minsk, 8-12 December 2008
Overview of Approaches to Register-Based Populating Censuses
Paolo Valente
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
Statistical Division

2. Content: General considerations about using registers
Fully register based census
Data from registers + full enumeration
Data from registers + existing sample surveys
Data from registers + ad-hoc sample surveys
Conclusions

3. 1. General considerations
Advantages of using register data for censuses:
Use information already available  No additional burden on respondents
Data potentially available every year
Cheaper that full enumeration once high quality registers are established

4. 1. General considerations
Requirements of using register data:
Need to have public and legislative support
Long time and large investments needed to develop high quality statistical register system to be used for censuses

5. 2. Fully register based censuses
Census conducted by integrating data from various registers
Conclusion of long step-by-step process
Census is part of a system of register-based information
Main requirements:
Availability of population register and dwelling register
Capacity to link persons and dwellings, identifying households
Public and legislative support for the use of population registers

6. 2. Fully register based censuses
Experience 2000 census: Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway
From 2010: Sweden, Netherlands, Slovenia
Advantages:
No burden on individuals
Data usually available every year
Once high quality registers are established, it is cheaper than a full field enumeration
Limitations:
Setting up and maintenance require significant resources
Characteristics to be collected are limited to those on the registers
Quality of census depends on coverage and quality of registers
Data in registers usually collected for non-statistical purposes
Statistical agencies are also dependent on register authorities

7. 3. Data from registers + full enumeration
Option when registers exist but some important variables are missing, or quality is not sufficiently good
Enumeration provide data on these variables, and evaluation of coverage and accuracy of register data
Some register data can be pre-printed in questionnaires

8. 3. Data from registers + full enumeration
2000 round: Belgium, Latvia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland
Advantages:
Data collection operations could be used to update and improve registers
Preliminary step to « pure » register-based census
Distinction between statistical operation (census) and admin. operation (register update) should be clear to the respondents
More efficient than traditional census in field operations
Disadvantages:
Method can be complex to apply
More expensive than pure register based census
Burden on the public

9. 4. Data from registers + existing sample surveys
As an alternative, register data can be integrated with data from existing sample surveys (i.e. LFS)
Survey results are used for variables not covered in registers
Data linked at individual level

10. 4. Data from registers + existing sample surveys
2000 round: Netherlands (« Virtual census »)
Advantages:
No burden on respondents
Reduced costs: no specific field data collection
Consistency between census results and survey results
Disadvantages:
Process to successfully link information on individuals from different surveys and registers is complex
Limited detail for information taken from sample surveys

11. 5. Data from registers + ad-hoc sample surveys
Other alternative: using ad hoc sample surveys instead of existing surveys.
Ad-hoc surveys can be used to evaluate accuracy of registers and collect traditional long form census data.
Requires capacity to link individual data from different sources

12. 5. Data from registers + ad-hoc sample surveys
Plans for 2010: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Israel (2008), Switzerland
Advantages:
Accuracy of population register can be tested
Population counts could be adjusted
No burden on respondents
Reduced costs: no specific field data collection
Disadvantages:
Method could be complex
Limited detail for information taken from sample surveys

13. Conclusions: Census methods adopted in ECE Region 2000 census round and plans for 2010 round
countries
countries

14. Conclusions
UNECE countries seem to find their way to use data they have in registers for the census
Quality of register data is a key factor, but not an « excuse » not to use them
Learn from other countries’ experiences but then take decisions based on national context

15. Source on Register based censuses
More details available in CES Census Recommendations, Appendix II:

16. Sources on Register based censuses
Fully register-based censuses also covered in UNECE publication on register-based statistics:

17. Other UNECE material on censuses
CES Recommendations for 2010 Censuses (English/Russian/French)
Documents of annual meetings on censuses
Documents of training workshops on censuses
Methodological and reference material:
Collection of questionnaires and material used in 2000
Publication on national practices in 2000 censuses (Eng/Rus)
5 multimedia presentations on censuses (Eng/Rus)