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.
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
Most demographic data are available since 1950 (general data). Data according “usual residents” are available since 2009 (31 December).
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
The collected and gathered in the statistical surveys of official statistics individual and personal data (personal data which can be linked or can identify natural persons or individual data characterising business entities) shall be confidential and subject to particular protection.
The data shall be used exclusively for statistical calculations, compilations and analyses (statistical confidentiality - Act on official statistics, 29th June 1995, art. 10 and art. 38).
Providing or use of individual and personal data for other than specified above purposes is prohibited.
See the table 11.2.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Not available.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Not available.
12.3. Completeness
Not available.
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
Full compliance.
15.2. Comparability - over time
See the table 15.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
The total usual residence population transmitted by the national statistical office to Eurostat in POPSTAT may differ from statistics available in National Accounts, Labour Force Survey or in the survey on Income and Living Conditions. The difference is given by the population coverage (see metadata specific to each domain).
The number of the third country citizens in immigration flow is lower than the number of first permits, however the differences is small. The differences are mainly due to the fact that data on immigration flow are estimated (using information from various national and international sources – both administrative and statistical), so they could include some errors of estimation.
The number of third country citizens in POB 03 is slightly higher than in RP stock because the data in the POB 03 are estimated (on the base of information from various sources), so they could include some errors of estimation.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The total usual residence population transmitted by the national statistical office to Eurostat in the framework of the Usual Residence Population data collection may differ from those available in National Accounts, Labour Force Survey or in the survey on Income and Living Conditions. The difference is given by the population coverage (see metadata specific to each domain).
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Post-census revisions to keep consistent results of census and current population statistics. Last revision (after the 2021 census) concerned data on the number and structure of the population from 2020.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Not applicable.
18.1. Source data
See the table 18.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Migrations statistics – yearly.
Vital statistics (births and deaths) – semi-annually.
18.3. Data collection
Vital statistics – individual data are collected in electronic form from Civil Status Offices (USC) and PESEL Register.
Registered migration facts – individual data are collected in electronic form from PESEL Register and local register offices in gminas (administrative divisions of Poland).
Unknown facts result from the inability to determine them by administrative sources.
Obligation to transfer data to the Statistics Poland is regulated by annual programme of statistical surveys of official statistics – passed by the Council of Ministers.
Additionally the mirror statistics on migration are used.
18.4. Data validation
Data are based on census and updated by vital and migration statistics. Checks on completeness (duplication and lack of data) of records and inconsistent record are implemented.
18.5. Data compilation
Sets of individual data on births, deaths, migration are processing separately. The balances method uses numbers of facts in pointed above sets of data.
18.6. Adjustment
Number of population: -61 380 persons.
The lack of balancing equation is due to the fact that total number of usual residence population prepared for the purpose of the Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 covers the migration flows based on the administrative data ie. reflecting only registered facts with the 12 months criterion, whereas for the purpose of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 migration flows are estimated, i.e. cover also unregistered migration.
Number of non-national population: -132 410 persons.
Data of usual resident population in Poland was prepared from 2009 (31 December).
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.
Sets of individual data on births, deaths, migration are processing separately. The balances method uses numbers of facts in pointed above sets of data.
See the table 18.1 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
Data on population, vital and migration statistics is published annually.
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.
Full compliance.
See the table 15.2 in the annex POPSTAT_UNIESMS_A.
