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.
Statistics Estonia Population and Social Statistics Department
Tatari 51,
10134 Tallinn
ESTONIA
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
17 December 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
17 December 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
6 February 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 regional breakdown of the Member States in the regional demographic tables is done under the most recent NUTS classification. There are 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. For more information on the versions in force, please see Eurostat NUTS.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Not applicable.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
3.4.1 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics transmitted to Eurostat
One of the following definitions is used by a country when explaining the statistical concepts:
Usually resident population means all persons having their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time; for more information see the Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 1260/2013.
Legal residence population is composed of those persons who are entitled to be settled in the country at the reference date, either by holding the national citizenship or by other authorization issued by national authorities.
Registered residence population is composed of those persons who are listed on one or more registers owned by national authorities at the reference date. Each registered person shall be counted only once.
See the table 3.4.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.4.2 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics disseminated in the National Statistical Institute's website
See the table 3.4.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.5. Statistical unit
Number of persons.
3.6. Statistical population
See the table 3.6 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.7. Reference area
Population, live births and deaths data are available at national and regional level of geographical detail.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Population – since 1920s.
Live births – since 1920s.
Deaths – since 1920s.
Immigrants – since 2000s.
Emigrants - since 2000s.
Acquisitions of citizenship – since 2000s.
Legally induced abortions – since 1990s.
Late foetal deaths – since 1990s.
Infant deaths – since 1990s.
Marriages – since 1920s, with more classification since 1990s.
Divorces – since 1947.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Data is collected at unit (person) level.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December). The reference period for vital and dual events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year during which the migration occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
National level:
Official Statistics Act.
European level:
Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 November 2013 on European demographic statistics.
Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 311/76 on the compilation of statistics on foreign workers .
Regulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses .
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Chapter 5 of the Official Statistics Act of Estonia states that, for the implementation of the Official Statistics Programme, a producer of official statistics is encouraged to primarily use data collected in administrative registers and databases, provided that such data allow statistical activities to be carried out in compliance with the quality criteria of official statistics.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 32, § 34, § 35 and § 38 of the Official Statistics Act.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Not applicable.
8.1. Release calendar
In the national database (https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat), the population estimate is published in January. Revised population indicators—including breakdowns by place of residence, age, sex, education, citizenship, and similar characteristics—are published in April and May.
No provisional migration data are published. Immigration and emigration statistics for the preceding year are published in April and May.
Provisional monthly data on births, deaths, marriages, and divorces are published each month. The annual totals for the preceding year are published in May and June.
All users have been granted equal access to official statistics: dissemination dates of official statistics are announced in advance and no user category (incl. Eurostat, state authorities and mass media) is provided access to official statistics before other users. Official statistics are first published in the statistical database.
If there is also a news release, it is published simultaneously with data in the statistical database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8:00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.
Population, vital events and migration statistics are published annually.
Data on citizenship acquisitions is released every week.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
News items can be viewed on Statistics Estonia's website in the section News.
News releases:
January – population estimates;
April – final population data;
May – life expectancy
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
No publications.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Population Data are published under the heading “Population/ Population figure and composition” and Vital Events Data under the heading “Population/ Vital events” in the Statistical Database in Stat.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Legal persons and organisations can use for research confidential data held by Statistics Estonia. The data can be used remotely in a research environment.
Access can be requested here: Use of confidential data for scientific purposes. Processing of personal data of special categories is also subject to authorisation by the ethics committee and/or the Data Protection Inspectorate.
See the table 11.2.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Users are public authorities, municipalities, media, researchers, individuals.
Nationally, the data are used in public planning, population forecasting, policy development (for example, family and pension policy), research, and public debate.
Internationally, the data are used by international organizations in analysis and research, in country comparisons, and in policy-making. The data are also used in international research and for private purposes.
Population data are also used widely as a foundation for many other statistics including statistics on labour market, education and income.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Since 1996, Statistics Estonia has conducted reputation and user satisfaction surveys. All results are available on the website of Statistics Estonia in the section User surveys.
12.3. Completeness
The data are complete and fully compliant with Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Overall accuracy and special cases (inclusion/exclusion of asylum seekers and refugees, persons living on unauthorised or irregular basis, international students, persons who do not register/deregister, etc.).
See the table 13.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.1.1 Accuracy - unknown values
See the table 13.1.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.2. Sampling error
See the table 13.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.3. Non-sampling error
See the table 13.3 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
14.1. Timeliness
According to Article 4 (2) of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 205/2014, each year Member States shall provide the Commission (Eurostat) with data at national and regional level as described in Annex II and related standard reference metadata (in the metadata structure definition defined for the Euro SDMX Metadata Structure) for the reference year within 12 months of the end of the reference year. According to Article 3 (2) of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 862/2007, Statistics on international migration, usually resident population and acquisition of citizenship shall be supplied to the Commission (Eurostat) within 12 months of the end of the reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
Not applicable.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Data is comparable between geographical areas.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See the table 15.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The same reference population is used across all domains of population statistics produced by Statistics Estonia.
As a result, migration figures in population statistics may differ from those published in other domains, such as the Labour Force Survey or the Income and Living Conditions Survey, as well as from figures in Residence Permit Statistics, which are based on different concepts and data sources.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The data are internally coherent, i.e. all the data in a unit are consistent with each other. The internal coherence of the data is ensured through the use of a common methodology for data collection and aggregation.
Population data are based on administrative sources, therefore there is no burden on the respondents.
Data may be revised if the methodology is modified, errors are discovered, or new or better data become available.
18.1. Source data
See the table 18.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annually.
18.3. Data collection
Administrative data are received via X-Road, an FTP-server and by e-mail.
18.4. Data validation
Data are validated in two stages: first, the quality of input data is checked and then the output is assessed.
In the first stage, the quality of input data received from various sources (see "Source data") is assessed. This involves measuring the percentage of missing data for each topic to identify potential gaps. Qualitative controls are also applied to detect logical errors and ensure the data are consistent with expected patterns.
In the second stage, the compiled aggregate output statistics are validated. Topic-specific results are compared with data from previous periods to identify inconsistencies or unusual trends. Where possible, results are cross-referenced with survey-based data sources, such as the Labour Force Survey or the 2011 population census.
The outputs are also validated in Eurostat's data transmission program EDAMIS in which the checks monitor whether valid codes and ranges are used and assess the consistency between a variable entry and allowed entries.
18.5. Data compilation
Principles of data processing
The population is formed at person level, applying a specific method (residency index) to data in various registers. The residency index is used to find the probability of residing in Estonia for each person. The features necessary to identify each person are found by using the different registers in a specific priority order.
When multiple data sources are used for a particular topic, they are applied in a specific priority order, which is defined separately for each subject.
Document-based data sources are preferred to statement-based ones.
For certain topics, age checks are performed when assigning information from data sources. For example, age checks are applied to education data, which means that if the level of education reported in the source is inconsistent with the person’s age, this information is disregarded.
More information: Description of the 2021 register-based census methodology (note: the methodologies and administrative data sources used in population statistics coincide with those applied in the 2021 register-based Population and Housing Census)
18.6. Adjustment
Two models are used in population statistics: the residency index and the partnership and location index.
The first determines the usually resident population, while the second defines the place of usual residence in Estonia. Both models are used to ensure compliance with the definitions in Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013.
Further information on both indices is available here:
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
One of the following definitions is used by a country when explaining the statistical concepts:
Usually resident population means all persons having their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time; for more information see the Article 2 of Regulation (EU) 1260/2013.
Legal residence population is composed of those persons who are entitled to be settled in the country at the reference date, either by holding the national citizenship or by other authorization issued by national authorities.
Registered residence population is composed of those persons who are listed on one or more registers owned by national authorities at the reference date. Each registered person shall be counted only once.
See the table 3.4.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
3.4.2 Statistical concepts and definitions used in the statistics disseminated in the National Statistical Institute's website
See the table 3.4.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Number of persons.
See the table 3.6 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Population, live births and deaths data are available at national and regional 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 and dual events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred. The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year during which the migration occurred.
Overall accuracy and special cases (inclusion/exclusion of asylum seekers and refugees, persons living on unauthorised or irregular basis, international students, persons who do not register/deregister, etc.).
See the table 13.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
13.1.1 Accuracy - unknown values
See the table 13.1.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Data is collected at unit (person) level.
Principles of data processing
The population is formed at person level, applying a specific method (residency index) to data in various registers. The residency index is used to find the probability of residing in Estonia for each person. The features necessary to identify each person are found by using the different registers in a specific priority order.
When multiple data sources are used for a particular topic, they are applied in a specific priority order, which is defined separately for each subject.
Document-based data sources are preferred to statement-based ones.
For certain topics, age checks are performed when assigning information from data sources. For example, age checks are applied to education data, which means that if the level of education reported in the source is inconsistent with the person’s age, this information is disregarded.
More information: Description of the 2021 register-based census methodology (note: the methodologies and administrative data sources used in population statistics coincide with those applied in the 2021 register-based Population and Housing Census)
See the table 18.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Population, vital events and migration statistics are published annually.
Data on citizenship acquisitions is released every week.
According to Article 4 (2) of the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 205/2014, each year Member States shall provide the Commission (Eurostat) with data at national and regional level as described in Annex II and related standard reference metadata (in the metadata structure definition defined for the Euro SDMX Metadata Structure) for the reference year within 12 months of the end of the reference year. According to Article 3 (2) of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 862/2007, Statistics on international migration, usually resident population and acquisition of citizenship shall be supplied to the Commission (Eurostat) within 12 months of the end of the reference year.
Data is comparable between geographical areas.
See the table 15.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
