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.
Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Unit F2: Population and migration
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
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
3 May 2010
2.2. Metadata last posted
20 March 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
16 March 2022
3.1. Data description
The tables presented in the topic of educational level cover the total population for 31 countries (for more information on received tables and geographic coverage, see "2001 Census Round - Tables Received" in the Annex at the bottom of the page). The level of completeness of the tables depends largely on the availability of data at the respective national statistical institutes. There are four ways of collecting census data, namely:
the traditional method of using census questionnaires (exhaustive census);
the method of using registers and/or other administrative sources;
a combination of registers and/or other administrative sources and
surveys (complete enumerations or sample surveys).
Other methods (other mixed census or micro-census) can be used as well.
Details for the method employed by each country are provided in "2001 Census Method"in the Annex at the bottom of the page.
In the same table you can find the dates on which the census was carried out in each country.
3.2. Classification system
For the 2000 census round, the Statistical Programme Committee formally approved at its 27th Session in November 1997 the Guidelines and Table Programme for the Community Programme of Population and Housing Censuses in 2001. The decision was a "gentleman's agreement" rather than a legal obligation.
For detailed information on the classification systems used by the countries see the Recommendations for the 2000 cencus of population and housing in the ECE region.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Not applicable
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The purpose of a set of "educational characteristics" is to identify different groups of persons where the members of a particular group are, on the one hand, reasonably homogeneous and, on the other hand, fairly clearly distinguished from members of other groups in respect of their level of educational attainment, current economic activity and occupation.
Educational attainment
Educational attainment refers essentially to the highest educational level successfully completed in the educational system of the country where the education was received. If relevant, "educational attainment" should take into account all deliberate, systematic and organized communication designed to bring about learning, even if these were provided outside schools and universities.
For purposes of international comparisons, it is recommended that countries compile their data in accordance with the latest available revision of International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)
Educational qualifications (National Level only)
Educational qualifications are the degrees, diplomas, certificates, etc. which have been conferred on a person by educational authorities, special examining bodies or professional bodies in his/her home country or abroad, on the successful completion of a course of full-time, part-time or private study.
Field of study (National Level only)
Information on the distribution of educated persons by field of study is important for the examination of the match between the supply and demand for qualified manpower with specific specializations within the labour market. It is equally crucial for planning and regulating the production capacities of different levels, types and branches of educational institutions and training programmes. Besides educational attainment, the field of study of a person represents a second important dimension of his/her qualification. Titles, degrees, diplomas and further training received, as well as experience gained on the job would constitute additional components of a qualification.
School attendance (National Level only)
School attendance is defined as attendance at any accredited educational institution or programme, public or private, for organised learning at any level of education. The term 'education' is understood to comprise all deliberate, systematic and organized communication designed to bring about learning. Data on school attendance should refer to the time of the census. If the census is undertaken during the school vacation period, school attendance during the period just before the vacation will be taken into account.
Instruction in particular skills, which is not part of the recognised educational structure of the country (e.g. in-service training courses in factories), is not considered as "school attendance" for census purposes.
Literacy (National Level only)
Literacy is defined as the ability both to read and to write. If this topic is included in the census, the information collected should be designed to distinguish persons who are literate from those who are illiterate. A person who can, with understanding, both read and write a short, simple statement on his everyday life is literate. A person who cannot is illiterate. Hence, a person capable of reading and writing only figures and his/her own name should be considered illiterate, as should a person who can read but not write and one who can read and write only a ritual phrase which has been memorized.
Current economic activity
Current activity status is the current relationship of a person to economic activity, based on a brief reference period such as one week or one day. The use of the "current activity" is considered most appropriate for countries where the economic activity of people is not influenced much by season or other factors causing variations over the year, and it is recommended that countries in the ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) region collect information in the census on activity status based in this concept ( i.e. the "labour force" concept).
Occupation
"Occupation" refers to the type of work done in a job. "Type of work" is described by the main tasks and duties of the work.
For purposes of international comparisons, it is recommended that countries make it possible to prepare tabulations in accordance with the latest available revision of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). At the time the present set of census recommendations was approved, the latest revision available was the one that was developed by the Fourteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) in 1987 and adopted by the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 1988.
Countries belonging to the European Economic Area should refer to ISCO-88 (COM).
Countries coding "occupation" according to a national standard classification can establish correspondence with ISCO either through double coding or through "mapping" from the detailed groups of the national classification to ISCO.
For more information see the Recommendations for the 2000 census of population and housing in the ECE region
3.5. Statistical unit
Residents, meeting the requirement of indicators
3.6. Statistical population
Total resident population
3.7. Reference area
European Union Member States, European Free Trade Association Member States and Turkey. In total the data are collected in 31 countries.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Data availability varies from country to country, depending on the year the census was carried out in each country. Thus it varies from November 1995 (Malta) to May 2002 (Poland).
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Data are expressed in absolute numbers (number of residents).
The data for these European datasets were mostly transmitted to Eurostat from spring 2001 to autumn 2002. Data refer to the respective census dates on which the national censuses were taken in each country (see table below). These census dates vary from March 1999 (France) to May 2002 (Poland).
No census was conducted in Germany in 2000/2001, only a micro-census based on small sample was calculated having high error probability for small population groups. Censuses were conducted in Croatia (2001) and Malta (1995), but no results are available here.
The following table shows the census date for each country available in the datasets:
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
For the 2001 census round, the Statistical Programme Committee formally approved at its 27th Session in November 1997 the Guidelines and Table Programme for the Community Programme of Population and Housing Censuses in 2001. This decision was a "gentlemen's agreement" rather than a legal obligation.
The countries, however, agreed to create the appropriate legal framework on a national level, in order to ensure the provision of comparable statistical data on the basis of the principle of the protection of personal data.
The countries that have changed their system of collecting statistical data, moving gradually from the classic method (exhaustive census) to the use of administrative sources, base their operations on a legal framework that was created in the 1980s and early 1990s.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
none
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
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.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
done at the Member State level
8.1. Release calendar
No release calendar.
8.2. Release calendar access
none
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
Not applicable for this collection. However, the United Nations Organization recommends that a general population census be conducted every decade.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
News releases on-line.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
CENSUS
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Please consult free data on-line or refer to contact details.
Information on the methodology can be found in the documents: "Guidelines and Table Programme for the Community Programme of Population and Housing Censuses in 2001" and "Recommendations for the 2000 census of population and housing in the ECE region".
10.7. Quality management - documentation
Relevant quality information by country can be found in the document "Recommendations for the 2000 census of population and housing in the ECE region".
11.1. Quality assurance
done at Member State level
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Many countries conduct a pilot census and/or other tests to improve the quality of the data during the pre-census period
The duration of the pilot period ranged from one day in Greece, Ireland, Austria to 120 days in Spain; some countries use alternative collection methods, coding and data processing. About 80% of the countries that conducted a traditional or mixed census carried out at least one test, the coverage percentage of which ranged from 0,03 % (Bulgaria) to 1.5 %(Portugal). In Luxembourg, Romania, Slovak Republic, Cyprus and Turkey other pilot surveys or other tests are conducted.
Data were extracted from individual countries' reports, being prepared during the second half of 2002. Most of the reports follow a similar structure, but country-specific paragraphs (e.g. for Spain and Italy, on the comparison of census results with data from population registers) or formats (e.g. Switzerland) are also present. For countries not undertaking a census, alternative reporting formats have been chosen. The comparative analysis is mostly based on a survey questionnaire prepared by LDSA (Laboratory of Demographic and Social Analyses). A total of 26 National Statistical Institutes responded. Three countries (Germany, Sweden and Iceland), having not implemented a census, were unable to complete the questionnaire, while three others (Netherlands, Liechtenstein and Romania) did not respond. For all the questions concerning directly the census process and treatment, the tables used for the comparative analysis do not include Liechtenstein and obviously Germany, Sweden and Iceland.
The most common census evaluation method is the post enumeration survey (PES). As far as the sample size adopted for the PES is concerned, most countries had a sample size of 1% or less, only a few have bigger sample sizes. This information highlights the different approaches to the size of post enumeration surveys, because the level of detail on which information on the coverage is seems necessary is different. Moreover, some countries evaluate the coverage based on information obtained during the census operation. For the 2000 round of censuses, some countries did not evaluate the coverage at all.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Need for regional population data, e.g. to evaluate regional cohesion.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
not evaluated
12.3. Completeness
See country specific notes in Annex.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
not evaluated
13.2. Sampling error
not evaluated
13.3. Non-sampling error
not evaluated
14.1. Timeliness
within two years after the end of the reference year
14.2. Punctuality
For the 2001 census, the deadline for transmitting data to Eurostat was the end of June 2003. Although the Gentlemen's agreement proposed that all data should be transmitted to Eurostat by 30 June 2003, the last data were received in mid 2005, leading to a publication in September 2005, i.e. 44 months after the end of the reference year.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
See country specific notes in the Annex
15.2. Comparability - over time
not evaluated
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
not evaluated
15.4. Coherence - internal
not evaluated
not evaluated
17.1. Data revision - policy
These historical data are no longer updated nor revised
17.2. Data revision - practice
These historical data are no longer updated nor revised
18.1. Source data
There are four ways of collecting census data, namely: - the traditional method of using census questionnaires (exhaustive census); - the method of using registers and/or other administrative sources; - a combination of registers and/or other administrative sources and - surveys (complete enumerations or sample surveys).
Other methods (other mixed census or micro-census) can be used as well.
Details for the method employed by each country are provided in "2001 Census Method"in the Annex at the bottom of the page.
The largest part of the countries are working on alternative methodologies not solely linked with the use of registers but also with the use of a more sophisticated statistical methodology, where the sample survey is the basis to collect information on the socio-economic characteristics of the population.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
The United Nations Organization recommends that a general population census be conducted every decade.
18.3. Data collection
The central phase of the census is the enumeration or data collection period, which is traditionally identified by 'field work'. As a result of the evolution of census methods and the introduction of registers, today the words 'data collection' may better represent this phase, where data referring to a reference date are collected through questionnaires and/or linkage and extraction from various sources.
As regards the questionnaire, less than 25% of all countries (such as Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Poland and Slovenia) declare to be already looking for the implementation of an electronic questionnaire. For more information see Documentation of the 2000 round of population and Housing Censuses in the EU, EFTA and candidate Countries
The collected data are presented in 34 tables for national level and in 15 tables for regional level (see "2001 Census Tables (National)" and "2001 Census Tables (Regional)" respectively in the Annex at the bottom of the page) on core topics about the population.
18.4. Data validation
The data received from the NSIs are validated by Eurostat before being sent to the database. Eurostat validates the data by cross-checking the received tables, in co-operation with the countries when necessary.
18.5. Data compilation
Not applicable.
18.6. Adjustment
Not applicable.
For Slovenia some data have been protected for confidentiality reasons. Instead of confidential data, the letter 'z' is given. Totals include confidential data. Data confidentiality is determined by the Act Regulating the Census of Population, Households and Housings in the Republic of Slovenia in 2002 (OJ RS No. 66/00 and 26/01), the National Statistics Act (OJ RS No. 45/95, 09/01) and the Personal Data Protection Act (OJ RS No. 59/99).
For more information see Census 2001 - Education Level (National) and Census 2001 - Education Level (Regional) in the annex at the bottom of the page.
Germany did not have a census at all around 2001 (the latest census is from 1987). For this country, only the tables that could be produced on the basis of existing sources are provided. For reasons of comparability between tables, the Micro-census (an annual survey of 1% sample of the resident population) is used in the national level tables (1 - 28). Tables on dwellings are from an additional Micro-census module from spring 2002 (undertaken every 4th year). Deviations from the definitions and instructions of the Table Programme are presented in footnotes. Due to sampling errors, the figures from the Micro-census are not very reliable for small population groups (less than 5000) and are thus expressed in 1000s. No accurate validation was therefore possible for most of the tables. In the other tables the figures are based on current population statistics and employment registers.
The following two flags are used in the database:
:c = not available due to confidentiality reasons
i = more information attached in explanatory texts
The tables presented in the topic of educational level cover the total population for 31 countries (for more information on received tables and geographic coverage, see "2001 Census Round - Tables Received" in the Annex at the bottom of the page). The level of completeness of the tables depends largely on the availability of data at the respective national statistical institutes. There are four ways of collecting census data, namely:
the traditional method of using census questionnaires (exhaustive census);
the method of using registers and/or other administrative sources;
a combination of registers and/or other administrative sources and
surveys (complete enumerations or sample surveys).
Other methods (other mixed census or micro-census) can be used as well.
Details for the method employed by each country are provided in "2001 Census Method"in the Annex at the bottom of the page.
In the same table you can find the dates on which the census was carried out in each country.
16 March 2022
The purpose of a set of "educational characteristics" is to identify different groups of persons where the members of a particular group are, on the one hand, reasonably homogeneous and, on the other hand, fairly clearly distinguished from members of other groups in respect of their level of educational attainment, current economic activity and occupation.
Educational attainment
Educational attainment refers essentially to the highest educational level successfully completed in the educational system of the country where the education was received. If relevant, "educational attainment" should take into account all deliberate, systematic and organized communication designed to bring about learning, even if these were provided outside schools and universities.
For purposes of international comparisons, it is recommended that countries compile their data in accordance with the latest available revision of International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED)
Educational qualifications (National Level only)
Educational qualifications are the degrees, diplomas, certificates, etc. which have been conferred on a person by educational authorities, special examining bodies or professional bodies in his/her home country or abroad, on the successful completion of a course of full-time, part-time or private study.
Field of study (National Level only)
Information on the distribution of educated persons by field of study is important for the examination of the match between the supply and demand for qualified manpower with specific specializations within the labour market. It is equally crucial for planning and regulating the production capacities of different levels, types and branches of educational institutions and training programmes. Besides educational attainment, the field of study of a person represents a second important dimension of his/her qualification. Titles, degrees, diplomas and further training received, as well as experience gained on the job would constitute additional components of a qualification.
School attendance (National Level only)
School attendance is defined as attendance at any accredited educational institution or programme, public or private, for organised learning at any level of education. The term 'education' is understood to comprise all deliberate, systematic and organized communication designed to bring about learning. Data on school attendance should refer to the time of the census. If the census is undertaken during the school vacation period, school attendance during the period just before the vacation will be taken into account.
Instruction in particular skills, which is not part of the recognised educational structure of the country (e.g. in-service training courses in factories), is not considered as "school attendance" for census purposes.
Literacy (National Level only)
Literacy is defined as the ability both to read and to write. If this topic is included in the census, the information collected should be designed to distinguish persons who are literate from those who are illiterate. A person who can, with understanding, both read and write a short, simple statement on his everyday life is literate. A person who cannot is illiterate. Hence, a person capable of reading and writing only figures and his/her own name should be considered illiterate, as should a person who can read but not write and one who can read and write only a ritual phrase which has been memorized.
Current economic activity
Current activity status is the current relationship of a person to economic activity, based on a brief reference period such as one week or one day. The use of the "current activity" is considered most appropriate for countries where the economic activity of people is not influenced much by season or other factors causing variations over the year, and it is recommended that countries in the ECE (Economic Commission for Europe) region collect information in the census on activity status based in this concept ( i.e. the "labour force" concept).
Occupation
"Occupation" refers to the type of work done in a job. "Type of work" is described by the main tasks and duties of the work.
For purposes of international comparisons, it is recommended that countries make it possible to prepare tabulations in accordance with the latest available revision of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO). At the time the present set of census recommendations was approved, the latest revision available was the one that was developed by the Fourteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) in 1987 and adopted by the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 1988.
Countries belonging to the European Economic Area should refer to ISCO-88 (COM).
Countries coding "occupation" according to a national standard classification can establish correspondence with ISCO either through double coding or through "mapping" from the detailed groups of the national classification to ISCO.
For more information see the Recommendations for the 2000 census of population and housing in the ECE region
Residents, meeting the requirement of indicators
Total resident population
European Union Member States, European Free Trade Association Member States and Turkey. In total the data are collected in 31 countries.
The data for these European datasets were mostly transmitted to Eurostat from spring 2001 to autumn 2002. Data refer to the respective census dates on which the national censuses were taken in each country (see table below). These census dates vary from March 1999 (France) to May 2002 (Poland).
No census was conducted in Germany in 2000/2001, only a micro-census based on small sample was calculated having high error probability for small population groups. Censuses were conducted in Croatia (2001) and Malta (1995), but no results are available here.
The following table shows the census date for each country available in the datasets:
Data are expressed in absolute numbers (number of residents).
Not applicable.
There are four ways of collecting census data, namely: - the traditional method of using census questionnaires (exhaustive census); - the method of using registers and/or other administrative sources; - a combination of registers and/or other administrative sources and - surveys (complete enumerations or sample surveys).
Other methods (other mixed census or micro-census) can be used as well.
Details for the method employed by each country are provided in "2001 Census Method"in the Annex at the bottom of the page.
The largest part of the countries are working on alternative methodologies not solely linked with the use of registers but also with the use of a more sophisticated statistical methodology, where the sample survey is the basis to collect information on the socio-economic characteristics of the population.
Not applicable for this collection. However, the United Nations Organization recommends that a general population census be conducted every decade.
within two years after the end of the reference year
