State Data Agency

Statistics Dissemination and Communication Division

29 Gedimino Ave., LT-01500 Vilnius, Lithuania

 Data collection provides information and comparable measurements on different aspects of the quality of urban life in cities.

A specific classification and coding systems have been developed for spatial units, variables and indicators. For description of the coding system and list of indicators and variables, see the City statistics manual. The State Data Agency uses the same spatial units. No delineation of new spatial units has been made.

Indicators and variables cover several aspects of quality of life, e.g. demography, nationality, household structure, housing, health, crime, labour market, economic activity, income disparities and poverty, education and training provision, educational qualifications, water, waste management, travel and transport, tourism, culture and recreation. 

For most variables, definitions of the City statistics manual and existing international standards have been followed. Information on the deviating definitions used in the data collection is presented in the Annex “Deviating definitions_LT”. 

Statistical units are mostly persons. A few variables are collected on households, enterprises, dwellings, etc. For a comprehensive description of variables and statistical units, see the City statistics manual.

For most variables, the target statistical universe was the usual residents of a geographical area (city). For a detailed description of variables, see the City statistics manual.

In Lithuania, data were prepared for the following spatial levels:

1) City level – data of six Lithuanian cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Panevėžys, Šiauliai, and Alytus);

2) Functional Urban Area (FUA) level – data of three Lithuanian cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, and Panevėžys);

3) National level (for data up to 2019). 

Data collection is organised in data collection rounds. The current data collection on city statistics covers the reference years 2021 and 2022. 

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The unit of measurement varies from indicator to indicator and from variable to variable. In most cases, the unit of measurement is included in the label.

2014, 2011, 2008, 2004 and 2001 are the reference years for the main data collection. 1996 and 1991 are the reference years for the “historical” data collection. A set of variables has been collected on an annual basis for the periods 2005–2012, 2015–2016, 2017–2018, 2019–2020. The reference years for the current data collection exercise are 2021 and 2022.

All data supply for urban statistics is based on a voluntary agreement as there is no Community legislation on this topic yet. 

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In the process of statistical data collection, processing and analysis and dissemination of statistical information, the State Data Agency fully guarantees confidentiality of the data submitted by respondents (households, enterprises, institutions, organisations and other statistical units), as defined in the Confidentiality Policy Guidelines of the State Data Agency. 

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Statistical information is published on the Official Statistics Portal according to the Official Statistics Calendar.  

 Official Statistics Calendar.

Statistical information is published following the Official Statistics Dissemination Policy Guidelines and Statistical Information Dissemination and Communication Rules of the State Data Agency.

The Eurostat database is updated continually, depending on the data availability of new and revised data.

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No special dataset or database is developed for city statistics. Most of the data can be found in the Database of Indicators  on the Official Statistics Portal. All data on city statistics are also available in the Eurostat’s database.

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Please see the dedicated section on the Eurostat’s website. 

Definitions of the City statistics manual have been followed for most variables. Information on the deviating definitions used in the data collection is available in the Annex “Deviating definitions_LT”.

The quality assurance procedures described in the City statistics manual have been applied. A complete set of validation rules has been observed. Information on quality documentation and additional quality measures is available in the Annex “Quality documentation _LT”.

Quality of statistical information and its production process is ensured by the provisions of the European Statistics Code of Practice and ESS Quality Assurance Framework. 

In 2007, a quality management system, conforming to the requirements of the international quality management system standard ISO 9001, was introduced at Statistics Lithuania. Main trends in activity of the State Data Agency aimed at quality management and continuous development in the institution are established in the Quality Policy.

Monitoring of the quality indicators of statistical processes and their results and self-evaluation of statistical survey managers is regularly carried out in order to identify areas which need improvement and to promptly eliminate shortcomings.

More information on assurance of quality of statistical information and its preparation is published in the Quality Management section on the State Data Agency website.

Quality of data is fully assessed using internal validation procedures and Eurostat’s validation methods.

User needs and stakeholders’ requirements are collected at several forums. Main users of statistical information on cities are State and municipal authorities and agencies, the media, research and business communities, students, and others.

At the State Data Agency, user opinion surveys have been conducted on a regular basis since 2005. Official Statistics Portal traffic is monitored; website visitor opinion polls, general opinion poll on the products and services of the State Data Agency, target user group opinion polls and other surveys are conducted. In 2007, compilation of a user satisfaction index was launched. The said surveys are aimed at the assessment of the overall demand for and necessity of statistical information in general and specific statistical indicators in particular.

More information on user opinion surveys and their results is available on the website of the State Data Agency, see https://www.stat.gov.lt/en/statistikos-vartotoju-nuomoniu-tyrimai.

Data availability differs from domain to domain. The main reasons for missing data by variable code, spatial level are presented in the Annex “Missing variables_LT”.

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Timeliness depends on the domain and individual variable. As a general rule, timeliness is about 9 months.

Data for the reference year 2021 were transmitted by 1 September 2022, and some data for the variables that are not available by that date were transmitted by the end of 2022. Data for the reference year 2022 were transmitted by 4 September 2023.

Due to some deviating definitions and different data sources used, the comparability of data is limited to some extent. Detailed information on data sources and deviating definitions is available in the Annexes “Deviating definitions_LT” and “Basic information on data sources_LT”.

Most of the data are comparable over time. Breaks in the time series are flagged accordingly (Flag B) if applicable. 

Data collected at the subnational level is coherent with the data collected at the national level.

Internal coherence (e.g. between spatial levels, between indicators such as total, male, female population) is ensured through the application of multivariable and univariate validation controls.

Data collection is mostly based on the data available at the State Data Agency.  For the preparation of statistical information, data from statistical surveys, registers and administrative data sources are used. The main burden is on  the State Data Agency.

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Detailed information about data sources is available in the Annex “Basic information on data sources_LT”.

Data is collected annually, but many indicators are only available for census years. The current data collection on city statistics covers  the reference years 2021 and 2022.

At the State Data Agency, data are collected from different statistical surveys and administrative data sources. Detailed information about data sources is available in the Annex “Basic information on data sources_LT”.

Data validation is carried out by specialists from the State Data Agency, which were responsible for data preparation, other data providers.

At the State Data Agency, different types of data checks for data validation were used.

Generally, at the State Data Agency, data validation contained structural and content validation checks, most of them are logical, arithmetical and qualitative checks. Aggregate data of the current year were compared with the results of the previous periods, other surveys (carried out by the State Data Agency), and administrative data. Review and identification of suspicious aggregates were performed.  Data validation also covered the detection of divergent values and (if any) significant changes in the patterns, checking of correlation among possible interfaces. The missing values of statistical indicators were imputed, the wrong ones – edited.

The State Data Agency collected the data requested. All available data were transmitted to Eurostat. No special estimations were made.

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