Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Population Census and Demographic Statistics Department
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
30, Tsotne Dadiani Str., 0180, Tbilisi, Georgia
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
25 April 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
25 April 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
25 April 2025
3.1. Data description
Data and metadata are transmitted to Eurostat by the Member States in the framework of the Unified Demographic Data Collection which is in accordance with Regulation (EC) 862/2007 and Regulation (EU) 1260/2013 and their implementing regulations.
The current regional breakdown of the countries in the regional demographic tables is according to:
1. Regulation (EU) 2016/2066 amending the annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS). The NUTS classification according to this regulation is shortly named NUTS-2016.
2. Agreements between Eurostat and Candidate countries as well as between Eurostat and EFTA countries, for which statistical regions have been coded in a way that resembles NUTS.
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10).
World country and territory classification (ISO 3166) (2016).
3.4.1 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics transmitted to Eurostat
1.Usually Resident Population
2. Legal Residence Population
3. Registered Residence Population
4. Other
Population
X
Live births
X
Deaths
X
Immigrants
X
Emigrants
X
Infant deaths
X
3.4.2 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics disseminated in the National Statistical Institute's website
Population
Usually resident population - all persons having their usual residence in Georgia: i) those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or ii) those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year. The reference time is the time of census conducted and population inter-census period calculated by adding the natural increase and net-migration.
Live births
Live births - Complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life - e.g. beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles - whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. Each product of such a birth is considered live born.
Deaths
Death - the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place.
Immigrants
An international immigrant - a person recorded when crossing the National border i) who entered the country and has cumulated a minimum of 183 days of residence in the country during the twelve following months; and ii) who was not usual resident of the country when entering the country which means that he spent at least a cumulate duration of 183 days of residence outside the country during the twelve months before entering the country.
Emigrants
An international emigrant - a person recorded when crossing the National border and i) who crossed the border and left the country and has cumulated a minimum of 183 days of residence outside the country during the twelve following months; and ii) who was usual resident of the country when leaving the country which means that he spent at least a cumulate duration of 183 days of residence inside the country during the twelve months before leaving the country.
Infant deaths
Infant mortality – deaths of infants under one year of age (0-12 months).
3.5. Statistical unit
Persons
3.6. Statistical population
Population
Usually resident population - all persons having their usual residence in Georgia: i) those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or ii) those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year. The reference time is the time of census conducted and population inter-census period calculated by the following formula: P(X+1) = P(X) + B(X) - D(X) + Imm(X) - Em(X).
Live births
A birth registered in Georgia and in the Georgian representations abroad in the given year.
Deaths
A death registered in a given year.
Immigrants
A person who crossed the border and lived in Georgia at least 183 days.
Emigrants
A person who crossed the Georgian border and lived out of country at least than 183 days.
Infant deaths
An infant death registered in Georgia in a given year.
3.7. Reference area
Population by urban and rural – at national, regional and municipality level;
Population by sex and age - at national level;
Births - at national, regional and municipality level;
Deaths - at national, regional and municipality level;
Migration - at national level.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Population:
Population at national level by urban-rural – since 1920;
Population at regional and municipality level by urban-rural – since 1980;
Population by sex and age – since 1989.
Births:
Live births at national level by urban-rural - since 1950;
Live births by regions and sex - since 1969;
Stillbirths at national level by urban-rural - since 1960;
Stillbirths by regions and sex - since 1969.
Deaths:
Deaths at national level by urban-rural - since 1950;
Deaths by causes regions and main causes of death - since 2005.
Migration:
Net-migration at national level - since 1990;
Emigrants and Immigrants by sex and age at national level – since 2002.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Number of persons
Population - as of 1 January;
Births, Deaths - the calendar year in which the events occurred;
Migration - the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat), the legal entity of public law, carries out its activities in accordance with the UN Fundamental Principles. It is an institution established to produce the statistics and disseminate the statistical information according to the Georgian legislation.
The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) is responsibility, collecting, producing and disseminate the statistical data. Geostat guided by the following legal acts: i) the Law of Georgia on “Official Statistics” and ii) Annual Statistical Work Program.
In accordance with the Law of Georgia on “Official Statistics”, the Geostat is authorized to request from the administrative bodies and other physical and legal entities and receive all the statistical and other information (including confidential information and/or information containing personal data, in line with the “Law on Personal Data Protection") necessary for carrying out its functions.
Upon the request and according to the legislation of Georgia, the administrative bodies are obliged to provide the Geostat with the information on physical and private entities (including confidential information).
Births, Deaths – Public Service Development Agency (PSDA), Ministry of Justice of Georgia; and Ministry of IDPS, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia;
Migration – Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The Law of Georgia on Official Statistics:
According to the article 5 of the law Statistical confidentiality and exclusive use for statistical purposes – individual data collected or received by the producer of official statistics, relating to natural or legal persons, must be strictly confidential and used only for statistical purposes.
According to the article 34 (Observing Confidentiality of Statistical Data) of the law:
Data collected, processed, and stored to produce official statistics are confidential if they enable the direct or indirect identification of a statistical unit. In addition, aggregated data are subject to statistical confidentiality:
Aggregates composed of 1 to 3 units, when the unit is a natural or legal person if one of these units could be identified indirectly, thereby disclosing individual data about this unit. Aggregates composed of more than 3 units may be declared confidential by the Executive Director if required to ensure statistical confidentiality;
Information declares as a state secret on the basis of the „Law of Georgia on State Secrets“.
Confidential data shall be used exclusively for the purposes of producing statistics in accordance with this law.
Statistical data about the administrative body cannot be considered confidential information, except for the information determined by the Law of Georgia „On State Secrets“.
Individual data obtained from publicly available sources, which are defined as public information in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, shall not be 3 considered confidential information.
Confidential (individual) data may be published if there is written consent from the statistical unit regarding the publication of such data.
It is not allowed to disseminate and distribute confidential data or use it for non-statistical purposes.
According to the article 38 (Confidentiality commitments) of the law the confidential statistical data collected and processed for statistical purposes shall not be used or disseminated either for personal, academic, research or any other activities, by the employees of the producers of Official Statistics.
Written undertakings by an employee of Geostat on ensuring confidentiality of gained/collected data as a result of official duties.
8.1. Release calendar
Data dissemination dates are defined by the calendar developed on the basis of the Statistical Work Programme, which is published on the website of Geostat and is publicly available.
The general policy is that before publishing statistics on the Geostat web site a press release is available, also on the web site, to inform users and media.
To ensure the quality of the statistical processes and products Geostat follows Chapter 10 – Quality of official statistics – of the Law of Georgia on Official Statistics, as well as the European Statistics Code of Practice, the UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and Quality Assurance Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS QAF).
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Methodology and Quality Management Division of Geostat, along with the sectoral departments, is responsible for the quality of the produced statistical products and processes. The Division carries out quality audit, self-assessment of statistical processes and assesses the risks for the quality of statistical processes and products. Geostat has developed policy documents, guidelines and standard routine descriptions. These documents ensure the standardization of statistical processes and products and the establishment of a unified quality assurance system. Quality policy information.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
State Bodies
Local and international experts and researchers
Students
NGOs
Research Institutions and Organizations
International Organizations (IOM, UN, EUROSTAT, WHO, etc.)
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
In 2023 user satisfaction survey was conducted, the target of the survey was to analyze the assessment of quality of statistical data by users and explore ways to improve user services. The survey report is available on the website of Geostat
12.3. Completeness
The data is aligned with international standards.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Population
Number of population is based on the 2014 General Population Census data and vital statistical data from PSDA and Migration data from MIA.
Live births
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online registration system. Additional controls and validations were added to the system, for example, mothers’ age (15-49 years).
Deaths
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online registration system.
Immigrants
Administrative sources
Emigrants
Administrative sources
Infant deaths
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online registration system.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Population
The 2014 General Population Census results revealed the necessity of re-estimation of basic demographic data of previous years.
Live births
There is a few missing values in the database: Child length, Child weight, Gestational age, Number of fetus during delivery, Age of father.
Deaths
There are some missing values in the death database: Marital status and Main cause of death.
Immigrants
Administrative sources.
Emigrants
Administrative sources.
Infant deaths
Administrative sources.
Marriages
Administrative sources.
Divorces
Administrative sources.
14.1. Timeliness
Births, Deaths - The reference year is the calendar year. The final data is disseminated 90 days after the reference year. Preliminary data (I –II quarter of current year) are released in 195 days;
Population - The reference year is the calendar year. The final data is disseminated 120 days after the reference year. No preliminary data are released;
Migration - The reference year is the calendar year. The final data is disseminated 120 days after the reference year. No preliminary data are released;
14.2. Punctuality
Data are always delivered and published on the pre-announced release dates.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data are collected and processed using the same methodology and definitions for regions and self-governing units (selfgoverning cities and municipalities).
The data are internationally comparable.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Population
Starting from 1 January, 1994 data publishing without occupied territories (Abkhazia A.R and Tskhinvali Region);
Live births
Georgia used the Soviet definition of live births and stillbirths until 1996, which did not correspond to the WHO recommendations.
Deaths
The data are comparable across time.
Immigrants
Follows the international recommendations.
Emigrants
Follows the international recommendations.
Infant deaths
The data are comparable across time.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Information about demographic statistics is collected on the same basis, so the cross-sectoral analysis is possible.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The outputs of the statistical activity are coherent.
The 2014 General Population Census results revealed the necessity of re-estimation of basic demographic data of previous years. The re-estimation of data in the inter-census period is recommended by international organizations.
Population in the inter census period is calculated based on the census results and the demographic data of the respective years. The 2014 General Population Census results revealed the necessity of re-estimation of basic demographic data of previous years. In 2018, the Retro-projected results of the main demographic indicators for the period 1994-2014 became available.
Data quality assurance plays an important role in collecting, processing and analyzing vital statistics. Starting from 2011 changes in normative acts and transition to the electronic issuance of medical certificates increased the coverage of death and birth facts, use of personal identification numbers and introduction of the electronic system eliminated duplicates and improved quality of personal information (name, surname, sex, and date of birth).
The PSDA assigns a PIN to a person at birth registration, or during registration by place of usual residence, or by time of issuance of Identity (Residence) cards. It is prohibited to assign two or more PINs to the same person, the same PIN to different persons, or to change or reuse a PIN of a deceased person A PIN consists of eleven digits. First two digits (from 01 to 99) denote an administrative unit code; the subsequent digit (from 1 to 9) is the control digit calculated from the other ten digits based on a certain formula. The following two digits (from 01 to 99) represent a code of a territorial office that assigned the PIN and the last six digits denote the serial number of the PIN record (from 000001 to 999999). The Chairperson of the PSDA approves the formula for calculating the control digit.
The PSDA, via its territorial authorities, performs logical checks of birth and death certificates sent from the medical institution. In case of missing information and/or inconsistencies within variables, the certificates are sent back to respective medical institutions for clarification.
Since 1998 Causes of death are coded according to the ICD-10 (the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems). The IRIS software recommended by the WHO for determining causes of death is used in Geostat since 2012. The software automatically selects the main cause of death and assigns a code according to the ICD-10. Additional quality checks for causes of death are performed using the ANACOD software, also recommended by the WHO.
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online system. Additional controls and validations were added to the system, for example, mothers’ age (15-49 years).
18.5. Data compilation
After data cleaning and validation and linking, the annual anonymized source files are compiled, which are used for producing of statistics.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
No comments.
Data and metadata are transmitted to Eurostat by the Member States in the framework of the Unified Demographic Data Collection which is in accordance with Regulation (EC) 862/2007 and Regulation (EU) 1260/2013 and their implementing regulations.
3.4.1 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics transmitted to Eurostat
1.Usually Resident Population
2. Legal Residence Population
3. Registered Residence Population
4. Other
Population
X
Live births
X
Deaths
X
Immigrants
X
Emigrants
X
Infant deaths
X
3.4.2 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics disseminated in the National Statistical Institute's website
Population
Usually resident population - all persons having their usual residence in Georgia: i) those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or ii) those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year. The reference time is the time of census conducted and population inter-census period calculated by adding the natural increase and net-migration.
Live births
Live births - Complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a product of conception, irrespective of the duration of the pregnancy, which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life - e.g. beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles - whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. Each product of such a birth is considered live born.
Deaths
Death - the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place.
Immigrants
An international immigrant - a person recorded when crossing the National border i) who entered the country and has cumulated a minimum of 183 days of residence in the country during the twelve following months; and ii) who was not usual resident of the country when entering the country which means that he spent at least a cumulate duration of 183 days of residence outside the country during the twelve months before entering the country.
Emigrants
An international emigrant - a person recorded when crossing the National border and i) who crossed the border and left the country and has cumulated a minimum of 183 days of residence outside the country during the twelve following months; and ii) who was usual resident of the country when leaving the country which means that he spent at least a cumulate duration of 183 days of residence inside the country during the twelve months before leaving the country.
Infant deaths
Infant mortality – deaths of infants under one year of age (0-12 months).
Persons
Population
Usually resident population - all persons having their usual residence in Georgia: i) those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or ii) those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year. The reference time is the time of census conducted and population inter-census period calculated by the following formula: P(X+1) = P(X) + B(X) - D(X) + Imm(X) - Em(X).
Live births
A birth registered in Georgia and in the Georgian representations abroad in the given year.
Deaths
A death registered in a given year.
Immigrants
A person who crossed the border and lived in Georgia at least 183 days.
Emigrants
A person who crossed the Georgian border and lived out of country at least than 183 days.
Infant deaths
An infant death registered in Georgia in a given year.
Population by urban and rural – at national, regional and municipality level;
Population by sex and age - at national level;
Births - at national, regional and municipality level;
Deaths - at national, regional and municipality level;
Migration - at national level.
Population - as of 1 January;
Births, Deaths - the calendar year in which the events occurred;
Migration - the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
Population
Number of population is based on the 2014 General Population Census data and vital statistical data from PSDA and Migration data from MIA.
Live births
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online registration system. Additional controls and validations were added to the system, for example, mothers’ age (15-49 years).
Deaths
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online registration system.
Immigrants
Administrative sources
Emigrants
Administrative sources
Infant deaths
Improvement in data quality was greatly facilitated by the introduction of the online registration system.
Number of persons
After data cleaning and validation and linking, the annual anonymized source files are compiled, which are used for producing of statistics.
Population
initially from Population Census
Live births
PSDA; NCDC
Deaths
PSDA; NCDC
Immigrants
MIA
Emigrants
MIA
Infant deaths
PSDA; NCDC
Summary vital statistics - 2 times a year;
Detailed demographic data – yearly.
Births, Deaths - The reference year is the calendar year. The final data is disseminated 90 days after the reference year. Preliminary data (I –II quarter of current year) are released in 195 days;
Population - The reference year is the calendar year. The final data is disseminated 120 days after the reference year. No preliminary data are released;
Migration - The reference year is the calendar year. The final data is disseminated 120 days after the reference year. No preliminary data are released;
Data are collected and processed using the same methodology and definitions for regions and self-governing units (selfgoverning cities and municipalities).
The data are internationally comparable.
Population
Starting from 1 January, 1994 data publishing without occupied territories (Abkhazia A.R and Tskhinvali Region);
Live births
Georgia used the Soviet definition of live births and stillbirths until 1996, which did not correspond to the WHO recommendations.
