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.
Labour market, living conditions and demography department
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Statistics Iceland Borgartúni 21a 150 Reykjavík Iceland
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
10 June 2021
2.2. Metadata last posted
10 June 2021
2.3. Metadata last update
10 June 2021
3.1. Data description
First results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.
3.2. Classification system
Not applicable.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Not applicable.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
3.4.1 Please indicate the definition of:
Population
The mother's residence
The data deaths
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
x
x
x
3.4.2 Please describe the national definition of
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
From the National Register of Persons of 31 December information is gathered on the total population with domicile in Iceland on 1 January
All children whose mother is domiciled in Iceland are counted, regardless of where the birth takes place. A child is considered a live birth if it shows signs of life at birth.
Information processed from the National Register of Persons on the total number of dead domiciled in Iceland, regardless of place of death.
Information processed from the National Register of Persons on external migration.
Information processed from the National Register of Persons on external migration.
3.4.3 Please provide details of the deviations of the national definition used from the usual residence definition.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Population estimates for 1. January is not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Live births estimates are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Deaths estimates are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Information processed on external migration are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Information processed on external migration are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
In case of survey as data source, please describe the target statistical population (one or more) which the data set refers to
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
3.7. Reference area
Data are available at national level of geographical detail.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Not applicable.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Counts of statistical units
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December). The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Please report on the reasons for any unreliability of the data on:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Net migration
There are three sources of errors to figures in the National Register of Persons on 31 December: late notifications of change of residence, late death certificates, and late birth reports. In a survey of delayed reports over the past five years it emerged that the greatest uncertainty was caused by late notifications of change of residence, due to which an average of 80 persons are under- or overestimated in the National Register of Persons on 31 December. Late death certificates cause the number of persons to be overestimated by around 10 persons in the National Register of Persons on 31 December, while late birth reports cause the number of persons to be underestimated by one individual about every two years.
Delayed birth reports were for a short period the main cause of errors in birth figures. In a review of delays to birth reports over the last five years it emerged that no birth report was missing.
Information on the number of deaths published in the tables of Statistics Iceland is accurate; it can be considered certain that information on all deaths reaches Statistics Iceland.
Late registration of change of residence is the main cause of errors in migration figures.
Migration is calculated for each month and thus a final figure is available for each month on its own; the figures for that month are not changed at any point after that. If a change of residence is registered a month or more late it is added to the month during which it was received.
When considering all moves over the past five years (from 1996-2000) only around 55% of registrations were received within a month of moving. After two months 96% of all registrations had been received by Statistics Iceland and within six months 98% had been received.
Errors in published migration data appear due to delays in registration of change of residence.
Late registration of change of residence is the main cause of errors in migration figures.
Migration is calculated for each month and thus a final figure is available for each month on its own; the figures for that month are not changed at any point after that. If a change of residence is registered a month or more late it is added to the month during which it was received.
When considering all moves over the past five years (from 1996-2000) only around 55% of registrations were received within a month of moving. After two months 96% of all registrations had been received by Statistics Iceland and within six months 98% had been received.
Errors in published migration data appear due to delays in registration of change of residence.
Late registration of change of residence is the main cause of errors in migration figures.
Migration is calculated for each month and thus a final figure is available for each month on its own; the figures for that month are not changed at any point after that. If a change of residence is registered a month or more late it is added to the month during which it was received.
When considering all moves over the past five years (from 1996-2000) only around 55% of registrations were received within a month of moving. After two months 96% of all registrations had been received by Statistics Iceland and within six months 98% had been received.
Errors in published migration data appear due to delays in registration of change of residence.
13.2. Sampling error
In case of survey as data source, please provide information on the part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
In case of survey as data source, please provide information on the error in survey estimates which cannot be attributed to sampling fluctuations.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Not available.
14.2. Punctuality
Not available.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Statistics are fully comparable between geographical areas.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Please provide information on the length of comparable time series (indicate the first reference year for which data are availble), reference periods at which series occur, the reasons for the breaks and treatments of them.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
From 1997 the National Register of Persons at the end of the year provides the population figures for 1 January the subsequent year.
Live births include in 2009 births outside of Iceland, whose mothers were resident of Iceland at time of birth. Previously these births were counted in the immigration figures.
Since 1981
Since 1987
Since 1987
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Comparability between the death, birth and migration and the population register. Additionally all variables in the population register are tested for inner consistency and new codes are specially looked at.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Not available.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not available.
18.1. Source data
Please report on the data sources used for the first reference year and inform of any changes thereto, to produce:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Yearly
18.3. Data collection
Automatic processes get the information electronically from NRP.
18.4. Data validation
Comparability between the population register and databases on migration, deaths and live births. Additionally each of the above mentioned variables in the population register is tested for inner consistency and new codes are specially looked at.
18.5. Data compilation
Statistics Iceland uses the NRP at the end of the year for estimating the population at that time. All migration flows that have been registered during the year are taken into account, but birth and death data referring to the reference year which are registered in the first 6 weeks of the following year are added to / subtracted from the data before publication.
18.6. Adjustment
No adjustments are made. Deviations between natural increase and net immigration and the population growth is not adjusted in the statistics.
Not available.
First results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.
10 June 2021
3.4.1 Please indicate the definition of:
Population
The mother's residence
The data deaths
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
1.Usual Residence Population
2.Legal Residence Population
3.Registered Residence Population
4.Other
x
x
x
3.4.2 Please describe the national definition of
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
From the National Register of Persons of 31 December information is gathered on the total population with domicile in Iceland on 1 January
All children whose mother is domiciled in Iceland are counted, regardless of where the birth takes place. A child is considered a live birth if it shows signs of life at birth.
Information processed from the National Register of Persons on the total number of dead domiciled in Iceland, regardless of place of death.
Information processed from the National Register of Persons on external migration.
Information processed from the National Register of Persons on external migration.
3.4.3 Please provide details of the deviations of the national definition used from the usual residence definition.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Population estimates for 1. January is not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Live births estimates are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Deaths estimates are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Information processed on external migration are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Information processed on external migration are not consistent with the 12 month rule.
Number of persons.
In case of survey as data source, please describe the target statistical population (one or more) which the data set refers to
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Data are available at national level of geographical detail.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December). The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.
Please report on the reasons for any unreliability of the data on:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Net migration
There are three sources of errors to figures in the National Register of Persons on 31 December: late notifications of change of residence, late death certificates, and late birth reports. In a survey of delayed reports over the past five years it emerged that the greatest uncertainty was caused by late notifications of change of residence, due to which an average of 80 persons are under- or overestimated in the National Register of Persons on 31 December. Late death certificates cause the number of persons to be overestimated by around 10 persons in the National Register of Persons on 31 December, while late birth reports cause the number of persons to be underestimated by one individual about every two years.
Delayed birth reports were for a short period the main cause of errors in birth figures. In a review of delays to birth reports over the last five years it emerged that no birth report was missing.
Information on the number of deaths published in the tables of Statistics Iceland is accurate; it can be considered certain that information on all deaths reaches Statistics Iceland.
Late registration of change of residence is the main cause of errors in migration figures.
Migration is calculated for each month and thus a final figure is available for each month on its own; the figures for that month are not changed at any point after that. If a change of residence is registered a month or more late it is added to the month during which it was received.
When considering all moves over the past five years (from 1996-2000) only around 55% of registrations were received within a month of moving. After two months 96% of all registrations had been received by Statistics Iceland and within six months 98% had been received.
Errors in published migration data appear due to delays in registration of change of residence.
Late registration of change of residence is the main cause of errors in migration figures.
Migration is calculated for each month and thus a final figure is available for each month on its own; the figures for that month are not changed at any point after that. If a change of residence is registered a month or more late it is added to the month during which it was received.
When considering all moves over the past five years (from 1996-2000) only around 55% of registrations were received within a month of moving. After two months 96% of all registrations had been received by Statistics Iceland and within six months 98% had been received.
Errors in published migration data appear due to delays in registration of change of residence.
Late registration of change of residence is the main cause of errors in migration figures.
Migration is calculated for each month and thus a final figure is available for each month on its own; the figures for that month are not changed at any point after that. If a change of residence is registered a month or more late it is added to the month during which it was received.
When considering all moves over the past five years (from 1996-2000) only around 55% of registrations were received within a month of moving. After two months 96% of all registrations had been received by Statistics Iceland and within six months 98% had been received.
Errors in published migration data appear due to delays in registration of change of residence.
Counts of statistical units
Statistics Iceland uses the NRP at the end of the year for estimating the population at that time. All migration flows that have been registered during the year are taken into account, but birth and death data referring to the reference year which are registered in the first 6 weeks of the following year are added to / subtracted from the data before publication.
Please report on the data sources used for the first reference year and inform of any changes thereto, to produce:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
The National Register of Persons
Not available.
Not available.
Statistics are fully comparable between geographical areas.
Please provide information on the length of comparable time series (indicate the first reference year for which data are availble), reference periods at which series occur, the reasons for the breaks and treatments of them.
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
From 1997 the National Register of Persons at the end of the year provides the population figures for 1 January the subsequent year.
Live births include in 2009 births outside of Iceland, whose mothers were resident of Iceland at time of birth. Previously these births were counted in the immigration figures.
