Statistics Iceland

Census 2011 project

Borgartún 21a
IS-107 Reykjavík
Iceland

The Icelandic census 2011 is based on administrative and statistical registers. For one variable, occupation, the data derive mostly from the Wage Survey covering 1/3 of the employed population using imputation methdods to estimate the remainder. Several new statistical registers were developed in preparing the census, Eduction register, Employment register, Family Register, and Register of institutions and institutional population. Apart from developing and populating these registers, the main effort of the census consisted matching the administrative population regiser and the administrative dwelling register, in order to place persons and families in identified dwelling units. In order to fill gaps in the notary register of rental agreements a special survey of landlords was conducted, as well as a survey of municipalities in order to correct and populate the register of institutions and institutional population.

ISCO-08, NACE Rev. 2, ISCED-97.

Usual residence means the place where a person normally spends the daily period of rest, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage.
Persons usually resident in the place of enumeration but absent at the time of the census for less than one year are considered as temporarily absent persons and thus included in the total usual population. In contrast, persons living outside the place of enumeration for one year or more are not considered temporarily absent and therefore excluded from the total population.

Registered persons who do not meet the criteria for usual residence in the place of enumeration, i.e. have not lived in the place of enumeration for a continuous period of at least 12 months including the census reference date, are considered temporarily present and are therefore not counted in the total usually resident population.

When temporary absence or stay cannot be ascertained the registered residence is used instead.

The biological sex as registered at birth or from a birth certificate or another legal document. Change of sex is only after the physical process of sex change is completed, as attested by a physician.

The age reached at the reference date (in completed years).

Marital status is the (legal) conjugal status of an individual in relation to the marriage laws of  Iceland (de jure status).
A person is classified according to his/her most recently acquired legal marital status at the reference date.
Married partners that are 'legally separated' are classified under 'married'.

Registered partnerships (is. 'staðfest samvist') for same sex couples were provided for until 19 July 2010 when this was assimilated under the single concept of marriage of two persons. Even if the label of the relationship was not automatically changed from registered partnership to marriage, the legal distinction no longer applies. Persons who may not have formally changed there status from ' in registered partnership' to 'married' are thus counted as 'married'.

The family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense, that is as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as married persons, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child. Thus a family comprises a couple without children, or a couple with one or more children, or a lone parent with one or more children. This family concept limits relationships between children and adults to direct (first-degree) relationships, that is between parents and children.
Child (son/daughter) refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who has usual residence in the household of at least one of the parents, and who has no partner or own children in the same household. Foster children are not included. A son or daughter who lives with a spouse, with a partner in a consensual union, or with one or more own children, is not considered to be a child. A child who alternates between two households (for instance if his or her parents are divorced) is considered to belong to the household of his/her legal. registered guardian.
The term couple shall include married couples, couples in registered partnerships, and couples who live in a consensual union.
Two persons are considered to be partners in a 'consensual union' when they
— belong to the same household, and
— have a marriage-like relationship with each other, and
— are not married to with each other.
'Skip-generation households' (households consisting of a grandparent or grandparents and one or more grandchildren, but no parent of those grandchildren) are not included in the definition of a family.

Family relationships are derived from a relationship matrix.

Private households are defined according to the 'household-dwelling' concept.
The household-dwelling concept considers all persons living in a housing unit to be members of the same household, such that there is one household per occupied housing unit. In the household dwelling concept, then, the number of occupied housing units and the number of households occupying them is equal, and the locations of the housing units and house­ holds are identical.
The category 'Persons living in a private household' comprises 'Persons in a family nucleus' and 'Persons not in a family nucleus'. The category 'Persons in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who belong to a private household that contains a family nucleus of which they are a member. 'Persons not in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who either belong to a non-family household or to a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household.
A non-family household can be a one-person household ('Living alone') or a multiperson household without any family nucleus. The category 'Not living alone' comprises persons that live either in a multiperson household without any family nucleus or in a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household. Persons who belong to a skip-generation household and who are not member of any family nucleus in that household shall be classified in the optional category 'Persons living in a household with relative(s)'.
The term 'son/daughter' is defined as the term 'child' in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'. 'Husband/wife couple' means a married opposite-sex couple.
'Consensual union' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'.
The category 'Partners' comprises 'Persons in a married couple' and 'Partners in a consensual union'.
'Primary homeless persons' are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters as defined in the technical specifications for the topic 'Type of living quarters'.

Family relationships are derived from a relationship matrix.

'Current activity status' is the current relationship of a person to economic activity, based on a reference period of one month during November 2011. For a small subset, where available, the activity status was based on the economic activity of the person on the reference date of November 30th, 2011.

The 'currently economically active population' comprises all persons who fulfil the requirements for inclusion among the employed or the unemployed.
'Employed' persons comprise all persons over the minimum age for economic activity who during the reference period:
(a) performed at least one hour of work for pay, in cash, or
(b) were temporarily absent from a job in which they had already worked and to which they maintained a formal attachment, or from a self-employment activity.
The 'unemployed' comprise all persons above the minimum age for economic activity who were:
(a) 'without work', that is, were not in wage employment or self-employment during the reference period; and
(b) 'currently available for work', that is, were available for wage employment or self-employment during the reference period; and
(c) 'seeking work', that is, had taken specific steps to seek wage employment or self-employment within the reference period.
The category 'Currently not economically active' includes persons below the minimum age for economic activity, as well as persons who are without work and receive childbirth leave payments.
In ascribing a single activity status to each person, priority is given to the status of 'employed' in preference to 'unemployed', and to the status of 'unemployed' in preference to 'not economically active'.

In lieu of using the age of 15 years on the reference date as the national minimum age for economic activity, persons who turned 15 years of age in the reference year or younger were defined as being under the minimum age for economic activity, this being the criterion for attending mandatory elementary school at the reference date.

'Occupation' refers to the type of work done in a job (that is the main tasks and duties of the work). Persons doing more than one job are allocated an occupation based on their main job, which is identified according to the income received.
The breakdown by occupation is available for persons above the minimum age for economic activity that were:
— employed during the reference period, or
— unemployed during the reference period, but have ever been in employment.
Persons are classified according to the occupation they had during their most recent employment. The categories included in the breakdown 'occupation' correspond to the major groups of the ISCO-08 (COM) classification.
Persons under the minimum age for economic activity, as well as persons over the minimum age for economic activity that were:
— not economically active during the reference period, or
— unemployed, never worked before (i.e. they have never been employed in their lives)
are classified under 'not applicable'.
The allocation of a person within the breakdowns of the topics 'Occupation', 'Industry' and 'Status in employment' is based on the same job.

Industry (branch of economic activity) is the kind of production or activity of the establishment (or similar unit) in which the job of a currently economically active person is located.
Persons doing more than one job are allocated an industry (branch of economic activity) based on their main job, which is identified according to the income received.
The breakdown by industry is available for persons over the minimum age for economic activity that were:
— employed during the reference period, or
— unemployed during the reference period, but have ever been in employment.
Persons are classified according to the industry they worked in during their most recent employment. The categories included in the breakdown 'industry' list the 21 sections of the NACE Rev. 2 classification and appropriate aggregates.
Persons under the minimum age for economic activity, as well as over the minimum age for economic activity that were:
— not economically active during the reference period, or
— unemployed, and have never worked before (i.e. have never been employed in their lives)
are classified under 'not applicable'.
The allocation of a person within the breakdowns of the topics 'Occupation', 'Industry' and 'Status in employment' is based on the same job.

An 'employee' is a person who works in a 'paid employment' job, that is a job where the explicit or implicit contract of employment gives the incumbent a basic remuneration, which is independent of the revenue of the unit for which he/she works.
An 'employer' is a person who, working on his or her own account or with a small number of partners, holds a 'self-employment' job and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) has engaged one or more persons to work for him/her as 'employees'.
If a person is both employer and employee, he/she is allocated to only one group according to the income received.
An 'own-account worker' is a person who, working on his/her own account or with one or a few partners, holds a 'self-employment job' and has not engaged, on a continuous basis, any 'employees'.
A 'contributing family worker' is a person who
— holds a 'self-employment’ job in a market-oriented establishment operated by a related person, living in the same household, and
— cannot be regarded as a partner (that is an employer or own-account worker) because the degree of commitment to the operation of the establishment is not at a level comparable to that of the head of the establishment.
A 'member of a producers' cooperative' is a person who holds a 'self-employment' job in an establishment organised as a coop­ erative, in which each member takes part on an equal footing with other members in determining the organisation of production, sales and/or other work, the investments and the distribution of the proceeds among the members.

The allocation of a person within the breakdowns of the topics 'Occupation', 'Industry' and 'Status in employment' is based on the same job.

The location of the place of work is the geographical area in which a currently employed person does his/her job.
The place of work of those mostly working at home is the same as their usual residence. The term 'working' refers to work done as an 'employed person' as defined under the topic 'Current activity status'. 'Mostly' working at home means that the person spends all or most of the time working at home, and less, or no, time in a place of work other than at home.

'Educational attainment' refers to the highest level successfully completed in the educational system of the country where the education was received. All education which is relevant to the completion of a level is taken into account even if this was provided outside schools and universities.
Persons aged 15 years or over are classified under only one of the categories according to their educational attainment (highest completed level). Persons under the age of 15 years are classified under 'not applicable'.

A locality is defined as a distinct population cluster, that is an area defined by population living in neighbouring or contiguous buildings. Such buildings may either:
(a) form a continuous built-up area with a clearly recognisable street formation; or
(b) though not part of such a built-up area, comprise a group of buildings to which a locally recognised place name is uniquely attached; or
(c) though not meeting either of the above two criteria, constitute a group of buildings, none of which is separated from its nearest neighbour by more than 200 metres.

Place of birth is defined as the place of usual residence of the mother at the time of the birth, or, if not available, as the place in which the birth took place.
Information on the country of birth is based on the international boundaries existing on 1 January 2011. 'EU Member State', in particular, means a country that is a member of the European Union on 1 January 2011. The list of countries in the breakdown 'country/place of birth' serves only for statistical purposes.
The category 'Other EU Member State' shall be read as 'EU Member State'.
The category 'Information not classifiable according to current borders' covers those persons whose country of birth existed at the time of the birth, but no longer exists at the time of the census, and who cannot be allocated uniquely to one country existing at the time of the census, i.e. according to current borders.
The category 'outside any country' covers persons for whom the usual residence of the mother at the time of the birth is not known and who where born outside the borders of any country, for example at sea or in the air.

Citizenship is defined as the particular legal bond between an individual and his/her State, acquired by birth or naturalisation, whether by declaration, option, marriage or other means according to the national legislation.
A person with two or more citizenships is allocated to only one country of citizenship, to be determined in the following order of precedence:
1. reporting country; or
2. if the person does not have the citizenship of the reporting country: other EU Member State;3. if the person does not have the citizenship of another EU Member State: other country outside the European Union.
'EU Member State' means a country that is a member of the European Union on 1 January 2011. The list of countries in the breakdown 'Country of citizenship' shall only apply for statistical purposes.
The category 'citizenship not of reporting country, but other EU Member State' shall be changed to 'citizenship of an EU Member State'.
Persons who are neither citizens of any country nor stateless and who have some but not all of the rights and duties associated with citizenship shall be classified under 'recognised non-citizens'.

The year of arrival is the calendar year in which a person most recently established usual residence in the country. The data for 2011 refer to the entire year.

This indicates the relationship between the current place of usual residence and the place of usual residence one year prior to the census. Children under one year of age are classified under 'Not applicable'.
For all persons that have changed their usual residence more than once within the year prior to the reference date, the previous place of usual residence is the last usual residence from which they moved to their current place of usual residence.

The topic 'Housing arrangements' covers the whole population and refers to the type of housing in which a person usually resides at the time of the census. This covers all persons who are usual residents in different types of living quarters, or who do not have a usual residence and stay temporarily in some type of living quarters, or who are roofless, sleeping rough or in emergency shelters, when the census is taken.
Occupants are persons with their usual residence in the places listed in the respective category.
'Conventional dwellings' are structurally separate and independent premises at fixed locations which are designed for permanent human habitation and are, at the reference date, either used as a residence, or vacant, or reserved for seasonal or secondary use.
'Separate' means surrounded by walls and covered by a roof or ceiling so that one or more persons can isolate themselves. 'Independent' means having direct access from a street or a staircase, passage, gallery or grounds.
'Other housing units' are huts, cabins, shacks, shanties, caravans, houseboats, barns, mills, caves or any other shelter used for human habitation at the time of the census, irrespective if it was designed for human habitation.
'Collective living quarters' are premises which are designed for habitation by large groups of individuals or several households and which are used as the usual residence of at least one person at the time of the census.
'Occupied conventional dwellings', 'other housing units' and 'collective living quarters' together represent'‘living quarters'. Any 'living quarter' must be the usual residence of at least one person.
The sum of occupied conventional dwellings and other housing units represents 'housing units'.
The homeless (persons who are not usual residents in any living quarter category) are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters (primary homelessness) or persons moving frequently between temporary accommodation (secondary homelessness).

The family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense, that is as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child. Thus a family comprises a couple without children, or a couple with one or more children, or a lone parent with one or more children. This family concept limits relationships between children and adults to direct (first-degree) relationships, that is between parents and children.
Child (son/daughter) refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who has usual residence in the household of at least one of the parents, and who has no partner or own children in the same household. Foster children are not included. A son or daughter who lives with a spouse, with a registered partner, with a partner in a consensual union, or with one or more own children, is not considered to be a child. A child who alternates between two households (for instance if his or her parents are divorced) shall consider the one where he or she spends the majority of the time as his or her household. Where an equal amount of time is spent with both parents the household shall be the one where the child is found at the time on census night.
The term couple shall include married couples, couples in registered partnerships, and couples who live in a consensual union.
Registered partnerships are reported only by countries that have a legal framework regulating partnerships that:
(a) lead to legal conjugal obligations between two persons;
(b) are not marriages;
(c) prevent persons to commit themselves into multiple partnerships with different partners.
Two persons are considered to be partners in a 'consensual union' when they
— belong to the same household, and
— have a marriage-like relationship with each other, and
— are not married to or in a registered partnership with each other.
'Skip-generation households' (households consisting of a grandparent or grandparents and one or more grandchildren, but no parent of those grandchildren) are not included in the definition of a family.

Family relationships are derived from a relationship matrix.

The family nucleus is defined in the narrow sense, that is as two or more persons who belong to the same household and who are related as husband and wife, as partners in a registered partnership, as partners in a consensual union, or as parent and child. Thus a family comprises a couple without children, or a couple with one or more children, or a lone parent with one or more children. This family concept limits relationships between children and adults to direct (first-degree) relationships, that is between parents and children.
Child (son/daughter) refers to a blood, step- or adopted son or daughter (regardless of age or marital status) who has usual residence in the household of at least one of the parents, and who has no partner or own children in the same household. Foster children are not included. A son or daughter who lives with a spouse, with a registered partner, with a partner in a consensual union, or with one or more own children, is not considered to be a child. A child who alternates between two households (for instance if his or her parents are divorced) shall consider the one where he or she spends the majority of the time as his or her household. Where an equal amount of time is spent with both parents the household shall be the one where the child is found at the time on census night.
The term couple shall include married couples, couples in registered partnerships, and couples who live in a consensual union.
Registered partnerships are reported only by countries that have a legal framework regulating partnerships that:
(a) lead to legal conjugal obligations between two persons;
(b) are not marriages;
(c) prevent persons to commit themselves into multiple partnerships with different partners.
Two persons are considered to be partners in a 'consensual union' when they
— belong to the same household, and
— have a marriage-like relationship with each other, and
— are not married to or in a registered partnership with each other.
'Skip-generation households' (households consisting of a grandparent or grandparents and one or more grandchildren, but no parent of those grandchildren) are not included in the definition of a family.

Family relationships are derived from a relationship matrix.

Private households are defined according to the 'household-dwelling' concept.
The household-dwelling concept considers all persons living in a housing unit to be members of the same household, such that there is one household per occupied housing unit. In the household dwelling concept, then, the number of occupied housing units and the number of households occupying them is equal, and the locations of the housing units and house­ holds are identical.
The category 'Persons living in a private household' comprises 'Persons in a family nucleus' and 'Persons not in a family nucleus'. The category 'Persons in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who belong to a private household that contains a family nucleus of which they are a member. 'Persons not in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who either belong to a non-family household or to a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household.
A non-family household can be a one-person household ('Living alone') or a multiperson household without any family nucleus. The category 'Not living alone' comprises persons that live either in a multiperson household without any family nucleus or in a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household. Persons who belong to a skip-generation household and who are not member of any family nucleus in that household are classified in the optional category 'Persons living in a household with relative(s)'.
The term 'son/daughter' is defined as the term 'child' in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'. 'Husband/wife couple' means a married opposite-sex couple.
'Consensual union' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'.
The category 'Partners' comprises 'Persons in a married couple' and 'Partners in a consensual union'.
'Primary homeless persons' are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters as defined in the technical specifications for the topic 'Type of living quarters'.

Family relationships are derived from a relationship matrix.

Private households aredefined according to the 'household-dwelling' concept.
The household-dwelling concept considers all persons living in a housing unit to be members of the same household, such that there is one household per occupied housing unit. In the household dwelling concept, then, the number of occupied housing units and the number of households occupying them is equal, and the locations of the housing units and house­ holds are identical.
The category 'Persons living in a private household' comprises 'Persons in a family nucleus' and 'Persons not in a family nucleus'. The category 'Persons in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who belong to a private household that contains a family nucleus of which they are a member. 'Persons not in a family nucleus' comprises all persons who either belong to a non-family household or to a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household.
A non-family household can be a one-person household ('Living alone') or a multiperson household without any family nucleus. The category 'Not living alone' comprises persons that live either in a multiperson household without any family nucleus or in a family household without being member of any family nucleus in that household. Persons who belong to a skip-generation household and who are not member of any family nucleus in that household shall be classified in the optional category 'Persons living in a household with relative(s)'.
The term 'son/daughter' is defined as the term 'child' in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'. 'Husband/wife couple' means a married opposite-sex couple.
'Registered partnership' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Legal marital status'. 'Consensual union' is defined as in the technical specifications for the topic 'Family status'.
The category 'Partners' comprises 'Persons in a married couple', 'Partners in a registered partnership' and 'Partners in a consensual union'.
'Primary homeless persons' are persons living in the streets without a shelter that would fall within the scope of living quarters as defined in the technical specifications for the topic 'Type of living quarters'.

Family relationships are derived from a relationship matrix.

The topic 'Tenure status of households' refers to the arrangements under which a private household occupies all or part of a housing unit.
Households that are in the process of paying off a mortgage on the housing unit in which they live or purchasing their housing unit over time under other financial arrangementsare classified under 'Households of which at least one member is the owner of the housing unit'.
Households of which at least one member is the owner of the housing unit and at least one member tenant of all or part of the housing unit are classified under category 'Households of which at least one member is the owner of the housing unit'.

'Conventional dwellings' are structurally separate and independent premises at fixed locations which are designed for permanent human habitation and are, at the reference date, either used as a residence, or vacant, or reserved for seasonal or secondary use.
'Separate' means surrounded by walls and covered by a roof or ceiling so that one or more persons can isolate themselves. 'Independent' means having direct access from a street or a staircase, passage, gallery or grounds.
'Other housing units' are huts, cabins, shacks, shanties, caravans, houseboats, barns, mills, caves or any other shelter used for human habitation at the time of the census, irrespective if it was designed for human habitation.
'Collective living quarters' are premises which are designed for habitation by large groups of individuals or several households and which are used as the usual residence of at least one person at the time of the census.
'Occupied conventional dwellings', 'other housing units' and 'collective living quarters' together represent'‘living quarters'. Any 'living quarter' must be the usual residence of at least one person.

'Occupied conventional dwellings' are conventional dwellings which are the usual residence of one or more persons at the time of the census. 'Unoccupied conventional dwellings' are conventional dwellings which are not the usual residence of any person at the time of the census.
Conventional dwellings with persons present but not included in the census are classified under the category 'Dwellings reserved for seasonal or secondary use'.

The topic 'Type of ownership' refers to the ownership of the dwelling and not to that of the land on which the dwelling stands.
'Owner-occupied dwellings' are those where at least one occupant of the dwelling owns parts or the whole of the dwelling. 'Cooperative ownership' refers to ownership within the framework of a housing cooperative.
'Rented dwellings' are those where at least one occupant pays a rent for the occupation of the dwelling, and where no occupant owns parts or the whole of the dwelling.

The number of occupants of a housing unit is the number of people for whom the housing unit is the usual residence.

Useful floor space is defined as the floor space measured inside the outer walls excluding non-habitable cellars and attics and, in multi-dwelling buildings, all common spaces; or the total floor space of rooms falling under the concept of 'room'.

Statistics Iceland reports only on the 'useful floor space' as the data on numbers of rooms are considered too unreliable.

The topic ‘Density standard’ relates the useful floor space in square metres .
Data report on the density standard measured by the 'useful floor space'.

Not reported.

Water, either hot or cold, is piped into the building of the dwelling unit

The dwelling unit has a water closet (flush toilet)

A bathing facility is any facility designed to wash the whole body and includes shower facilities.

A housing unit is considered as centrally heated if heating is provided either from a community heating centre or from an installation built in the building or in the housing unit, established for heating purposes, without regard to the source of energy.

The topic 'Dwellings by type of building' refers to the number of dwellings in the building in which the dwelling is placed.

The topic 'Dwellings by period of construction' refers to the year when the building in which the dwelling is placed was completed.

The EU programme for the 2011 population and housing censuses include data on persons, private households, family nuclei, conventional dwellings and living quarters

Persons enumerated in the 2011 census are those who were usually resident in the territory of the reporting country at the census reference date. Usual residence means the place where a person normally spends the daily period of rest, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage. When a temporary stay/absence cannot be ascertained, the registered residence is used instead.

Data are available at different levels of geographical detail: national, NUTS2, NUTS3 and local administrative units (LAU2)

Data refer to the situation in the reporting country at the end of the year 2011.

Counts of statistical units

Common reminder of EU legislation

Statistics Iceland

Not available.

According to the Icelandic statistical law, no data may be published that can be traced back to identifiable individuals. This, however, need not apply to information that is considered to be already in the public domain.

No information available on 20 November 2013.

Data are made available 27 months after the end of the reference period (March 2014)

All data published on Statistics Iceland's web site are available free of charge. Special data requests are available against a fee covering the cost of data extraction. Bona fide researchers may have access to extracted identified data, against a fee, provided the research plan has been accepted by the Ethics in Science Commitee, the Data Protection Agency and the Confidential Data Committe at Statistics Iceland.

Data on population and housing censuses are disseminated every decade

News releases accompany all instances of census publications

Census results are published in Hagtíðindi (the Statistical Series)

All census tables are available in PX-Web on the website

According to the Icelandic statistical law, only bona fide researchers may have access to microdata kept at Statistics Iceland, under certain conditions.

Census Hub

Redefinition of localities. Endurskilgreining Hagstofu Íslands á þéttbýlisstöðum og byggðakjörnum

Options for redraw the geographical statistical regions. Íslensk hagskýrslusvæði á héraðsstjórnarstigi

The population statistics in Iceland. Analysis of population estimation methods of Statistics Iceland (Iceland)

Linking the population and housing:  Mannfjöldinn, heimili og húsnæði: Um tengingu íbúa og íbúða

No reports on quality of the census have been published (3/12/2013)

All data are published with appropriate metadata. When possible, methodological papers and memos with metadata or quality related material are published or made available to the users.

In specific, critical instances, the census team has carried out small spot surveys to estimate the validity of the individual items.

All reasonable measures have been taken to correct the known coverage errors of the underlying register data. No measurement of the remaining coverage errors is feasible, but Statistics Iceland judges those to be small, both in absolute and relative terms.

No post-enumaration surveys are conducted

The census data disseminated by Eurostat are addressed to policy makers, researchers, media and the general public.

No user satisfaction surveys are carried out. User inquiries are handled by the Eurostat User Support service.

Depends on the availability of data transmitted by the National Statistical Institutes.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic.

Only a small fraction (<5%) of the records included economic activity on the reference date of the census. Approx. 97% of the records were based on the economic activity of the person in the reference period, and the remainder was imputed, in part using records of economic activity of the person for the year 2011.

Due to absence of records of persons who were long term unemployed, as well as unemployed and had never worked before, values were imputed based on data from the Labour Force Survey.
In lieu of using the age of 15 years on the reference date as the national minimum age for economic activity, persons who turned 15 years of age in the reference year or younger were defined as being under the minimum age for economic activity, this being the criterion for attending mandatory elementary school at the date of reference. 

Approx. 75% of the records are based on register data plus the wage survey. Data for the remaining records are imputed.

For approx. 35% of the total dataset, NACE codes are not available for the individual records, but for the legal units at which they are employed. In those cases, persons are assigned the main branch of economic activity of the legal unit for which they were working. Data for less than 5% were imputed.

Data on employees are primarily based on records of economic activity in the reference period, whereas information on employers and own-account workers is to a large extent based on information from year-end tax returns.

All cases of contributing family workers are imputed. There are no known instances of producers‘ cooperatives in Iceland, so this classification was not used. In all approx. 6% of the data were imputed.

Classification of the location of place of work is based on the NUTS-2 framework, classifying the location as either in Iceland (the territory of the member state) or not in Iceland. No data were available for the actual location outside of Iceland.

Approx. 86% of the data are based on actual or edited records, the rest were imputed. 

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

Data prior to 1986 are based on comparing annual individual stock data from the national register. No inference can be made for the year of arrival in 1980. 1986 and later the date are based on precise dates.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic. Ownership data are cmplete, as well as cooperatives, while data on renters' and other types of tenure are incomplete, leading to a relatively large number of unknown tenure status.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

Data on renters and other types are incomplete, while data on ownership and housing cooperatives are based on complete registers.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

Useful floor space is a term intermediate between gross (including outer walls) and net (excluding outer and interior walls) floor space, both of which are in register. This item is imputed using a simple regression formula from the gross floor space. The sample used to find the model coefficients showed an adjusted R² of >0.99.

Statistics Iceland reports on the 'Useful floor space' in preference to the 'Number of rooms' for which reliable data are not available.

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

Not reported.

Data for this topic do not exist in the registers. The topic was constructed using data on presence of kitchen, bathing facilities, flush toilets and heating systems (geothermal heating).

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

There are no particular reasons for data unreliability for this topic

In time

The statistical concepts conform for the most part to the European legislation. The data sources are, however, only administrative and statistical registers and for occupation, sample surveys. This may lessen the comparability with census data in other countries, which either have a different legal system governing their registers or carry out a traditional census.

The biggest difference could be in the application of the one reference week for measuring employment, and in estimating unemployment as these are based on monthly payments, adjusted to comply with the defintions.

The measurement of current activity status, also takes place in November, whereas the population is measured at the end of the year. This may cause some minor discrepancies.

Figures provided by the National Statistical Institutes in the framework of the 2011 Population and Housing Census may differ from those transmitted in other statistical domains due to the cross domain differences in definitions and methodologies used.  For additional information please see metadata specific to each domain

Internal coherence is assured by regulations defining breakdowns and definitions of topics (Regulation (EC) No 1201/2009, Regulation (EU) No 519/2010, Regulation (EU) No 1151/2010)

The census did not place any burden upon the population at large. Many governmental agencies and all municipalities were, however, obliged to comply to data requests, as well as all landlords owning more than 2 conventional dwellings.

The total cost of the census has not been accounted, but it is estimated to be approximately 1.2M €

All errors that are detected are to be corrected immediately. No major revision of the Census is foreseen after the first publication.

- National Register of persons

- Statistical register of labour market status

- Statistical register of attained education

- Statistical register of institutional population

- Census of owners of 3 or more dwelling units on the rent or other use

- The Icelandic Wage, Earnings and Labour Cost Survey (Occupational data)

Household data are generated by matching the population and dwelling registers, taking into account the statistical register of family relationships.

- National Register of Persons

- Statistical register of family relationships

- National Register of Real Estates

- Special survey amongst municipalities on missing or improbable data relating to key variables of the NRRE

- National Register of Real Estate

- Special survey amongst municipalities on missing or improbable data relating to key variables of the NRRE

Data on population and housing censuses are collected every decade, in a reference year that falls during the beginning of every decade

3.2.2.1 Statistical registers on employment, educational attainment, institutions, institutional households and family relationships were created using available administrative registers, as well as special surveys among data providers.

3.2.2.2 No existing registers were redesigned for the purposes of the census.

3.2.2.3 The statistical registers are maintained by Statistics Iceland. These registers contain information on data editing, imputations and deletions. The statistical Act covers those registers as well as the maintainance, making it obligatory for data providers to respond to the requests of Statistics Iceland.

The two main administrative registers (National Register of Persons (NRP) and the National Register of Real Estate (NRRE)) are governed by the respective acts. They are both maintained by Registers Iceland. Statistics Iceland receives a copy of the NRP on a daily basis, while the data are extracted from the NRRE annually for statistical purposes.

Data on persons refer to key demographic variables, residence and family relationships. Status in the register is not neutral with regard to taxation and allocation of benefits, making certain discrepancies in residence status and family status more likely than others. The same applies to the classification of Real Estate, with non-dwelling units taxed considerably higher than dwelling units.

Both  of the administrative registers are updated on a continuous basis. The population at large is the main data provider for the NRP, while the NRRE is updated on basis of the evaluation of the responsible municipal authorites. Most of the updating information is less than one month old, Delays in registrations, especially of immigration, are however common. The census files have been cleared of such errors as far as possible.

The last major revision of the population register occurred in 1986. A major revision is being planned, but the effects on the data have not been estimated. The register on real estate was last overhauled in 2001.

3.2.2.4 Data linkage between any register on persons is for the most part easy due to the ubiquitous national PIN. The address data are less standardised. However, a bridge table between address data in the Register of Persons and the Real Estate has been developed. Other sources containing address data are mostly linked using textual parsing methods.

3.2.2.5 -

Data are validated primarily by the following methods.

- Internal consistency checks

- Comparison with existing surveys, especially the LFS and the SILC. This applies to residence, household and family structure, employment and education.

- Coherence check with existing external statistics, especially with regard to the classifcation of industry

- Small ad hoc samples for estimating the results of certain estimating procedures. This applies to mathcing procedures, and useful floor space.

 No post enumeration surveys are conducted.

According to item 3.3.1 of Annex I to Reg. 1151/2010, Member States should provide a description of "data processing (including capturing, coding, identifying variable(s), record editing, record imputation, record deletion, estimation, record linkage including identifying variable(s) used for the record linkage, generation of households and families)".

Capturing. All data that were collected to complete existing registers where collected in electronic format or via telephone interviews. All register data was collected electronically. In few instances graduation lists were scanned with an OCR.

Coding. Only a part of the educational attainment data had to be coded, and a small fraction of the industry and occupational data. These were coded manually, with the results verified by an expert.

Identifying variables. The national personal identification number (kennitala) is ubiquitious for uniquely identifying persons in Iceland. These had to be provided manually or by name matching for a fraction of the educational attainment data. A corresponding number (fastanúmer) for dwelling units is not as widely distributed. When auxiliary data was made use of, locational data (streetname and number) served as identifying variables.

Record editing. The selection variable for both persons and dwelling units (1=belongs to the population, 0=does not belong to the population, -1=record deleted) was prone to edits. No editing was required for data on sex, marital status, age, citizenship, country of birth,  and location of dwelling units. All other data were edited, mainly using deterministic methods to prevent inconsistencies or using auxiliary data sources to provide the most likely value. A small fraction was manually edited.

Record imputation. No records relating to persons were imputed. All the records that were added to the population records from the current NRP came from other sources, including data on institutional population, register of short term residents, and the register of persons with foreign residence. Records relating to dwelling units were imputed only when secondary evidence indicated that a record was missing or in cases of merging or splitting records. The total number of such records was less than 1%.

Record deletion. Neither of the two main administrative registers (NRP and NRRE) contained duplicate records. The selection of records was made by manipulating the selection variable discussed above, with only the original merged/split dwelling units actually marked as deleted.

Estimation. All statistics in the Icelandic Census are counts of records.

Record linkage including identifying variable(s) used for the record linkage. All data relating to persons are linked through the national PIN (kennitala), same applies to data relating to dwelling units which were linked through the identifying variable [fastnum]. The dwelling register and the persons register where linked through a bridge table linking the variables refering to location (streetname and number), i.e. [huskoti]==[heinum].

Generation of households and families. Linking persons and individual dwelling units through a combination of location linkage discussed above, ownership data, renters' data, with regard to auxiliary information such as payments of electrical bills, as well as statistical matching (i.e. random allocation to dwelling units) was the key element in producing household data. In this exercise, data on family relationships, including name matching, common migration patterns and business relationships was used to complement the register family data in order to match groups(/families) and dwelling units.

During the final processing phase of the census, it was decided not to use the LFS at all for providing data to for the census, either weighted or directly. The character of the census has thus changed from previously planned "combination of register and survey based census" to a purely register based census.