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.
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
In Poland there are two definitions of the population:
Usual Residence Population according to the definition in Regulation (EC) 1260/2013.
Polish residents are all persons who reside or intend to reside in Poland for 12 months and more.
It means that:
persons (registered for permanent stay in Poland) staying or intend to stay abroad for a period 12 months and more are excluded,
immigrants staying or intend to stay in Poland for a period 12 months and more are included.
From the total usual residence population are excluded: foreign military, naval, asylum seekers and diplomatic personnel and their families temporarily located in the country. Data on migration for a period 12 months and more are the administrative data.
De jure population (internal definition) includes persons registered for permanent residence in Poland regardless of whether person stays - in Poland or abroad - and regardless of the period of stay / absence. Therefore this population does not include permanent residents of other countries residing in Poland temporarily (regardless of period of stay).
Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from mother of an infant, irrespective of the pregnancy duration, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as 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 was attached; each such a product is considered as live born.
All live births that occurred on Polish territory are taken into account.
The death means the permanent and irreversible cessation of functions of the essential for life organs and in consequence the cessation of functions of the whole organism.
All deaths that occurred on Polish territory are taken into account.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on Usual Residence Population:
Persons who have registered their residence (during the reference year) in the territory of Poland for a period of at least 12 months, having previously been usually resident in another country.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on de jure population (by internal definition):
Persons living previously in other country who have registered (during the reference year) for permanent residence in Poland.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on usual residence population:
Persons, having previously been usually resident in the territory of Poland who deregistered from the place of residence in Poland (during the reference year) due to departure abroad for a period of at least 12 months.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on de jure population (by internal definition):
Persons deregistered from the place of permanent residence in Poland (during the reference year) due to departure abroad for permanent residence.
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
Usual Residence Population - definition is consistent
De jure population (internal definition) - takes into account the migrants registered for permanent residence only
Definition is consistent
Definition is consistent
Definition used in preparing data on usual residence population takes into account registered immigration for a period of at least 12 months (in which immigration for permanent residence), while definition used in preparing data on de jure population (internal definition) takes into account registered immigration for permanent residence only.
Definition used in preparing data on usual residence population takes into account registered emigration for a period of at least 12 months (in which emigration for permanent residence), while definition used in preparing data on de jure population (internal definition) takes into account registered emigration for permanent residence only.
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 available.
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 31December). 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
Sets of data on population do not include duplicated and inconsistent records. Correctness of data on births, deaths, and migration is guaranteed by Civil Status Offices and registration offices in gminas. Additionally it is controlled by Statistics Poland.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Full complete data - all data refer to a legally documented facts registered in administrative databases.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Not available.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Please report on the reasons for any unreliability of the data on:
Population
Live births
Deaths
Immigrants
Emigrants
Net migration
Reliable data
Reliable data
Reliable data
Reliable data according to the administrative sources
Reliable data according to the administrative sources
Reliable data according to the administrative sources
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 available
Not available
Not available
Not available
Not available
13.3. Non-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 available
Not available
Not available
Not available
Not available
14.1. Timeliness
Not available.
14.2. Punctuality
Not available.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Full compliance.
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
Not available
Not available
Not available
Not available
Not available
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Full consistency.
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
Results of the 2021 Population Census,
current Vital and Migration Statistics - official administrative data
Vital Statistics - official administrative data
Vital Statistics - official administrative data
Official administrative data – source: PESEL register and local registry offices in gminas
Official administrative data – source: PESEL register and local registry offices in gminas
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Usual Residence Population
Population - yearly;
Migrations statistics - yearly;
Vital statistics (births and deaths) - quarterly.
De jure population (internal definition)
Population - quarterly;
Migrations statistics - quarterly;
Vital statistics (births and deaths) - monthly.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected in electronic form from: census data, PESEL Register local registered offices in gminas and Civil Status Offices (USC). Individual data on vital and migration facts are collected. Obligation to transfer data to Statistics Poland is regulated by annual programme of statistical surveys of official statistics - passed by the Council of Ministers.
18.4. Data validation
Data are based on census and updated by vital and migration statistics. Checks on duplication of records and inconsistent records are implemented.
18.5. Data compilation
Sets of individual data on births, deaths, migration are processed separately. The balances method uses numbers of facts in pointed above sets of data.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
Not available.
First results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.
25 June 2025
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
In Poland there are two definitions of the population:
Usual Residence Population according to the definition in Regulation (EC) 1260/2013.
Polish residents are all persons who reside or intend to reside in Poland for 12 months and more.
It means that:
persons (registered for permanent stay in Poland) staying or intend to stay abroad for a period 12 months and more are excluded,
immigrants staying or intend to stay in Poland for a period 12 months and more are included.
From the total usual residence population are excluded: foreign military, naval, asylum seekers and diplomatic personnel and their families temporarily located in the country. Data on migration for a period 12 months and more are the administrative data.
De jure population (internal definition) includes persons registered for permanent residence in Poland regardless of whether person stays - in Poland or abroad - and regardless of the period of stay / absence. Therefore this population does not include permanent residents of other countries residing in Poland temporarily (regardless of period of stay).
Live birth is the complete expulsion or extraction from mother of an infant, irrespective of the pregnancy duration, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as 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 was attached; each such a product is considered as live born.
All live births that occurred on Polish territory are taken into account.
The death means the permanent and irreversible cessation of functions of the essential for life organs and in consequence the cessation of functions of the whole organism.
All deaths that occurred on Polish territory are taken into account.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on Usual Residence Population:
Persons who have registered their residence (during the reference year) in the territory of Poland for a period of at least 12 months, having previously been usually resident in another country.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on de jure population (by internal definition):
Persons living previously in other country who have registered (during the reference year) for permanent residence in Poland.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on usual residence population:
Persons, having previously been usually resident in the territory of Poland who deregistered from the place of residence in Poland (during the reference year) due to departure abroad for a period of at least 12 months.
Definition taken into account in preparing data on de jure population (by internal definition):
Persons deregistered from the place of permanent residence in Poland (during the reference year) due to departure abroad for permanent residence.
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
Usual Residence Population - definition is consistent
De jure population (internal definition) - takes into account the migrants registered for permanent residence only
Definition is consistent
Definition is consistent
Definition used in preparing data on usual residence population takes into account registered immigration for a period of at least 12 months (in which immigration for permanent residence), while definition used in preparing data on de jure population (internal definition) takes into account registered immigration for permanent residence only.
Definition used in preparing data on usual residence population takes into account registered emigration for a period of at least 12 months (in which emigration for permanent residence), while definition used in preparing data on de jure population (internal definition) takes into account registered emigration for permanent residence only.
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 31December). 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
Reliable data
Reliable data
Reliable data
Reliable data according to the administrative sources
Reliable data according to the administrative sources
Reliable data according to the administrative sources
Counts of statistical units
Sets of individual data on births, deaths, migration are processed separately. The balances method uses numbers of facts in pointed above sets of 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
Results of the 2021 Population Census,
current Vital and Migration Statistics - official administrative data
Vital Statistics - official administrative data
Vital Statistics - official administrative data
Official administrative data – source: PESEL register and local registry offices in gminas
Official administrative data – source: PESEL register and local registry offices in gminas
Not available.
Not available.
Full compliance.
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.
