Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB)

Statistical Methodology and Quality Department

Statistical Planning and Standartisation Section

Lāčplēša street 1, Rīga, LV – 1010

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

Specific classification and coding systems have been developed for the spatial units and for the variables and indicators. For the description of the coding system and the list of indicators and variables see the City statistics manual. Data have been provided for the following spatial units - core city, functional urban areas (FUA) and national level.

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

For most variables, the definitions of the Methodological Manual on City Statistics and existing international standards have been followed. Information on the deviating definitions used in the collection is available in the annex "Deviating_definitions_methodology_2010-2022".

Statistical units are mostly persons. Few variables are collected on households, enterprises, dwellings, cities, etc. For the complete description of variables see the City statistics manual.

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

Spatial Units are listed in the annex of the Methodological Manual on City Statistics. Data have been provided for the following spatial units:

1) Core city - 4 cities (Riga, Liepaja, Daugavpils, Jelgava);
2) Functional Urban Area (ex-LUZ) - 4 FUA units (Riga FUA, Liepaja FUA, Daugavpils FUA, Jelgava FUA).

Due to Administrative-Territorial Reform (ATR) in 2021, the boundaries of Riga FUA and Liepaja FUA have been changed. For this reason, data provided for the reference year 2021 and following years for Riga FUA and Liepaja FUA are not comparable with data for earlier period. The boundaries of Jelgava FUA and Daugavpils FUA remain the same and are therefore comparable to FUA of previous years.

Previous changes in delineation of spatial units of Latvia occurred in 2016. New Riga FUA were delineated and the boundaries of Liepaja FUA was changed. The threshold of 30 % commuting flow to Riga were used to create more accurately FUA. For Liepaja FUA standard threshold - 15 % commuting flow was used. The Population and Housing Census 2011 was a data source to assess the commuting flows to the cities. For this reason, data provided for the reference year 2015 and following years for Liepaja FUA are not comparable with data for earlier period.

The data collection is organized in data collection rounds.  Data are available from 1991. The current data collection is covering the years 2021 and 2022.

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The units of measures used for the data set are listed in the Annex of the City statistics manual. For most indicators the unit of measures is number of persons or percentage.

The reference years for current data collection are 2021 and 2022. The CSB of Latvia compiled partial list of variables (i.e. both mandatory and additional indicators) for the current data collection. The same was done for the reference year 2019-2020, 2016-2018, 2011, 2008, 2004 and 2001 were the reference years for the main data collection. 1996 and 1991 were the reference years for the "historical" data collection. Less variables were collected on annual bases for the period 2005-2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014.

All data supply of sub-national statistics is based on a voluntary agreement, as there is no Community legislation on this topic.

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Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.

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Data are sent to Eurostat according to the project timetable prescribed in the grant agreement by European Commission. Please see current project timetable in section 14.2.

Previously the periodicity of the main (exhaustive) data collection was 3-years. Less indicators were collected annually. Starting from the reference year 2015 the CSB of Latvia provides all available data according to the full list of variables (both mandatory and voluntary).

The database is updated continually the first day of every month, depending on the data availability of new and revised data.

The collected sub-national data will be analysed and main findings will be published on the CSB webpage https://www.csp.gov.lv/lv

Previous projects:

2016 (in English): Urban Audit 2013/2014: European Cities

2016 (in Latvian): Urban Audit 2013/2014: European Cities

Section in the CSB webpage containing sub-national data and visualisation is planned to be updated and improved.
All data are available in Eurostat database General and regional statistics/Urban audit (urb):  http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/data/database. Almost all data are published on the CSB webpage and Official Statistics Portal.

Results of the perception survey "Quality of life in cities" for years 2017 and 2022 on Official statistics portal of CSB:

Perception survey on the quality of life in big cities of Latvia

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The results of 2017-2018 Sub-national statistics project, the updated CSB Webpage and Eurostat sub national data were presented to stakehoders (Municipal planning specialists, Experts from relevant Ministries etc.) during workshop on availability of sub-national data in September 2020.

Agenda and recording of the workshop can be found here: Geospatial Statistics and Its Potential

The results of 2022 perception survey on quality of life were presented to stakehoders (Municipal planning specialists, Experts from relevant Ministries etc.) during seminar on quality of life in cities and territorial statistics in March 2023.

Agenda and recording of the seminar can be found here: Seminar on quality of life in cities and territorial statistics

An interactive web-based tool about migration in Latvia was designed during previous project "Data collection for sub-national statistics (mainly cities)": https://tools.csb.gov.lv/migration/lv/landing. It allows user to visualize migration flows using either flow map or point diagram map. User can select direction of migration (emigration or immigration), up to 8 territories (choice between territorial units, administrative territories and statistical regions) and time period (2000–2023, 2011–2023 or 2018–2023). Additional data, including international migration, is displayed aside using charts and tables. Tool is available also in English. 

Methodology for most of data fully complies with methodology given in the City statistics manual, as well as in existing international standards. In case definition is not given in the Methodological Manual on City Statistics, definition from the UA glossary of previous data collection have been used. Information on the deviating definitions used in the collection is available in the annex "Deviating_definitions_methodology 2010-2022". Also, short metadata in form of flags as well as footnotes have been provided to Eurostat together with data via eDAMIS.

The quality assurance procedures detailed in the City statistics manual have been applied. Information on quality documentation and additional quality measures is available in the annex "Data_source_2013-2022"(see links in the data file). Information on standard error and coefficient of variation for variables from Labour force survey available in the annexes “LFS standard error 2015-2022”.

The collection of data is executed contacting with the data suppliers (different thematic units of NSI, municipal authorities and other state institutions) in order to evaluate the availability of data and fulfilment of the methodologies defined. All the meta information available in the City statistics manual, as well as the details of the variables are transmitted to the data providers. After collecting the data, all information is fully checked and compared with previous years data, using additional data sources as well as cross spatial level comparison (FUA>city, national>FUA). 
The quality of information is fully assured in one hand using internal procedures and in the other hand through Eurostat validation methods using EDIT tool.

Recommendations for improvements have been sent to Eurostat at the end of the project. They have been included in the final technical implementation report.

User needs and stakeholder requirements are collected at several forums organised by Eurostat and DG REGIO. The CSB also organises meetings with the main data users to compile requests on the need of sub-national data. Comments and contributions are welcome to be sent to the contact.

Previous workshop video and agenda:

(22 May 2018) Geospatial Statistics and Its Potential

Workshop on availability of sub-national data was organised where results of the project, definition and geometry for new small densely populated areas of Latvia, methodology for new economic development indicator(s) for cities of Latvia, the updated CSB webpage and Eurostat sub-national data was presented to the stakeholders (Municipal planning specialists, Experts from relevant Ministries etc.).

(24 September 2020) Geospatial Statistics and Its Potential

Recent seminar video and agenda:

(29 March 2023) Seminar on quality of life in cities and territorial statistics

A seminar was organised informing data users about the results of the survey on quality of life in nine State cities – Daugavpils, Jelgava, Jēkabpils, Jūrmala, Liepāja, Ogre, Rēzekne, Valmiera and Ventspils – conducted in 2022. The seminar also covered comparison of the quality of life in Riga with situation in Vilnius, Tallinn, and other European cities, climate statistics for the regions of Latvia, territorial statistics available on the official statistics portal and other topical issues.

Please see section 12.1.

Overview of data availability will be provided in technical report by the end of 2023 / first quarter of 2024.

For detailed information on data source used and quality documentation as well as on additional quality measures please see annexes "Data source 2013-2022".

Detailed information about variables from Labour force survey, their standard error and coefficient of variation are available in the annexes “LFS standard error 2015-2022”.

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Depends on the domain and individual variable.  As a general rule, timeliness is about 24 months.

The deadlines listed in the grant agreement have been respected.

Timetable of the current project "Data collection for City and Subnational Statistics":       

Starting date: 1 Jan 2022   

Duration: 24 months

–  Deliverable 1.1: Interim report – 31 January 2023;

–  Deliverable 2.1: Validated dataset for the reference year 2021 provided to Eurostat – 31 October 2022;

–  Deliverable 2.2: Validated dataset for the reference year 2022 provided to Eurostat – 31 October 2023;

-   Deliverable 2.3: Metadata file for the reference year 2021 according to ESS standards provided to Eurostat – 30 November 2022;

-   Deliverable 2.4: Metadata file for the reference year 2022 according to ESS standards provided to Eurostat – 30 November 2023;

-   Deliverable 3.1: Results of the complimentary perception survey – 31 March 2023;

-   Deliverable 4.1: Seminar recording and presentations – 31 March 2023;

Due to the sometimes deviating definitions and different data sources used, the comparability of data is a little bit limited. Detailed information on data sources and deviating definitions is available in the annexes "Data source 2013-2022", "Deviating _definitions_ methodology_2010-2022". Flag "D" has been used in case of deviating definition.

Due to Administrative-Territorial Reform (ATR) in 2021, the boundaries of Riga FUA and Liepaja FUA have been changed and therefore are not comparable to those FUAs of previous years. Despite the ATR, the boundaries of Jelgava FUA and Daugavpils FUA remain the same and are therefore comparable to FUA of previous years.

Breaks in the time series are flagged accordingly (Flag B) if applicable.

Data collected for sub-national statistics are coherent with the data collected in the context of the European Statistical System. For details please see annex "Data source 2013-2022".

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

The data collection is mostly based on data available in the National Statistical System. Very limited amount of data are received from other state institutions or local municipalities. Therefore, the main burden is on the CSB of Latvia.

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Information about data source is given in the annex "Data source 2013-2022".

Data collection Sub-national statistics (previously - Urban Audit) is a multiannual data collection. 
The reference years of the current annual data collection are 2021, 2022.

Data has been collected by the National Urban Audit Coordinator (NUAC) on behalf of Eurostat. The NUAC have collected data from available sources in the national statistical office, other state agencies or ministries, from the cities concerned or from private sources. Some data has been estimated by the NUAC. Some data has been estimated by Eurostat.

 Current project foresees following actions:

Work package 1: Coordination and management of the project (preparation of interim report, participation in the progress meeting);

Work package 2: Provision of statistics on Cities and Funtional Urban Areas (assessment of data availability and feasibility of harmonisation, compilation of available data and metadata for 2021 and 2022);

Work package 3: Perception survey on quality of life in cities;

Work package 4: Raise awareness and increase knowledge about sub-national statistics.

Data validation process in the CSB consists of arithmetic and logical checks, incl. comparison with previous years. Depending on domain or data source additional validation methods have been used for data validation. For example, Demography and Nationality data are checked also by doing growth or decrease analysis and graphical analysis of data by age groups, gender and state administrative units. Data validation on Household Structure (DE3001V, DE3017V) and Health consists of logic control of database’s data by making additional queries directly at the database of the Population register.

Eurostat validates the provided data using EDIT tool.

The CSB of Latvia compiles the data.

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None.