Statistics Estonia

Population and Social Statistics Department

20 Narva maantee, 51009, Tartu, Estonia

The data collection provides information and comparable measurements on the different aspects of the quality of urban life in cities.

Specific classification and coding systems have been developed for the spatial units and for the variables and indicators. For the description of the coding system and the list of indicators and variables see the City statistics manual.

The indicators and variables cover several aspects of quality of life, for e.g. demography (population, nationality, household structure), social aspects (housing, health), crime, economic aspects (labour market, economic activity, income disparities and poverty), education and training (education and training provision, educational qualifications), environment, travel and transport, and culture and recreation (culture and recreation and tourism). 

For most variables the definitions of the City statistics manual existing international standards have been followed. For additional information on the deviating definitions used in the collection please see Annex "Deviating definitions".

Statistical units are mostly persons. Few variables are collected on households, enterprises, dwellings, cities, etc. For the complete description of variables see the City statistics manual.

For most variables the target statistical population was the usual residents of a geographical area (city or FUA). For the detailed description of variables see the City statistics manual.

Spatial Units are listed in the annex of the City statistics manual.

Data were provided for the following spatial units:

1) City level – data of 3 Estonian cities (Tallinn, Tartu and Narva);

2) Functional Urban Area (FUA) – data of 2 Estonian cities (Tallinn FUA and Tartu FUA);

As a result of the Estonian administrative reform conducted in 15 October 2017, Tähtvere rural municipality merged with Tartu city. The name of the merged municipality stayed the same – Tartu city. The administrative reform changed also the boundaries of Tartu county that was FUA for Tartu city. Almost all 2017 data on Tartu city is available in the pre-reform boundaries. Only data on median disposable annual household income and share of persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion are available in the new boundaries. Most 2017 data on FUA for Tartu city is available in the pre-reform boundaries also. However, there are some data – average prices for buying a house or an apartment, data on vital events and crime, median disposable annual household income and share of persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion – these are available in the new boundaries on FUA for Tartu city only. Data on Tartu city and on FUA for Tartu city for the year 2018 are available in the new boundaries. All data in the new boundaries on Tartu city and on FUA for Tartu are supplied with flag “B” = break in time series. Statistics Estonia inspected the FUA for Tartu city in the new boundaries according to the FUA definition. The analysis results showed that Tartu county with the changed boundaries is still the commuting zone for merged Tartu city.

The data collection is organized in data collection rounds. Data are available from 1991. The previous data collection covered the years 2017 and 2018, the latest data collection covers reference year 2020.

Not applicable.

The unit of measurement varies from indicator to indicator; from variable to variable. In most cases the unit of measurement is included in the label.

2001, 2004, 2008 and 2011 were the reference years for the main data collection. 1991 and 1996 were the reference years for the "historical" data collection.  Fewer variables have been collected on annual bases for the reference years 2005–2007, 2009, 2010, 2012–2014.

Since then data collection has been annual.

All data supply of urban statistics is based on a voluntary agreement, as there is no Community legislation yet on this topic.

Not applicable.

Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

Not applicable.

Please see point 8.2.

Release calender is available http://www.stat.ee/en/calendar

The tables in the Statistical Database, news releases and publications are published at 8 a.m.

The periodicity of the data is 1 year.

The database is updated continually the first day of every month, depending on the data availability of new and revised data.

Not available.

Survey on cities is available:

https://vana.stat.ee/public/Piirkondlik-portaal/Analyysid-ja-ettekanded/Survey_on_cities.pdf

No special data set or database is developed for Urban Audit data. Main data can be found in the database of the Statistics Estonia on http://pub.stat.ee/px-web.2001/dialog/statfile1.asp

All data are available in Eurostat database, Database by themes / General and regional statistics / City statistics (urb): http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/cities/statistics-illustrated

Not available.

Not available.

For most variables the definitions given in the City statistics manual have been followed. Information on the deviating definitions used in the collection is available in the Annex "Deviating definitions".

Methodology for most of data fully complies with methodology given in the City statistics manual. Information on the deviating methodologies used in the collection is available in the Annex "Deviating methodology".

The quality assurance procedures detailed in the City statistics manual have been applied. Information on additional quality documentation relevant to the UA project is provided in Annex "Quality documentation".

To assure the quality of processes and products, Statistics Estonia applies the EFQM Excellence Model, EU Statistics Code of Practice and the ESS Quality Assurance Framework (QAF). Statistics Estonia is also guided by the requirements provided for in § 7 „Principles and quality criteria of producing official statistics” of the Official Statistics Act.

Data are only published when they have a high degree of consistency. After passing the validation procedure the information is considered to be of a good quality.

User needs and stakeholder requirements are collected at several forums.

User feedback is collected at several forums.

Overview of data availability is provided in Annex "Data availability", information about missing variables is provided in Annex "Missing variables".

Meta information and quality aspects of the variables collected in Urban Audit is provided in Annex "Basic information on data sources".

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Depends on the domain and individual indicator. As a general rule, timeliness is about 24 months.

Timetables of the projects “Urban Audit data collections 2012”, “Sub-national statistics on NUTS3 and city level”, "Data collection for sub-national statistics (mainly cities)" and "Sub-national Statistics" are available in Annex “Timetable of actions".

Due to the some deviating definitions and different data sources used the comparability of data is limited to some extent. Detailed information on data sources and deviating definitions is available in Annexes “Deviating definitions” and “Basic information on data sources”.

Breaks in the time series are flagged accordingly (Flag b) if applicable.

Information obtained in the frames of Urban Audit data collection is fully consistent with the national data because for one and the same variable one and the same data source at national and sub-national level is used.

Internal coherence (e.g. between spatial levels, between indicators like total, male, female population) is ensured through the application of multivariable and univariable validation controls.

The data collection is based on administrative data so the main burden is on the Statistical Institute.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Detailed information about data sources is available in the Annex “Basic information on data sources”.

The Urban Audit is a multiannual data collection. The reference period of the previous data collection was 2017–2018. The reference period of the current data collection is 2019-2020

Main actions, results and timetable of the projects are available in Annex "Timetable of actions".

Basic information on data validation is described in Annex "Data validation".

The main part of data on the domains of Labour Market, Economic Activity, Education and Training provision, Educational qualifications (up to the year 2015), and Travel and transport is available from the Estonian Labour Force Survey. The sample size of Estonian Labour Force Survey is not enough to get reliable data for lower spatial units at too detailed levels. Statistics Estonia works on this item to minimize the number of missing variables. During the current data collection period, Statistics Estonia estimated variables on unemployed persons by sex for Tartu city for the years 2015–2017 using the Structure Preserving Estimator (SPREE) method. Overview about the mentioned small area estimation method is available in the Annex “Deviating methodology”.

Not available.

All Annexes are part of the final reports.