Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

Population Statistics Department - Demography Unit

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

Lamačská cesta 3/C

840 05 Bratislava 45

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

First results on the main demographic developments in the year of reference.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Number of persons.

Statistical population is total population as defined in 3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions.

Data are available at national level of geographical detail.

Since 1920.

Not applicable.

Counts of statistical units.

The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31st December).
The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred.  
The reference period for migration flow data is the calendar year in which the migration occurred.

The Statistical Office of the SR collects, processes and disseminates statistical outputs in accordance with the Act No. 540/2001 Coll. on State Statistics, as amended, which:

- Establishes that statistical survey is directed by the Programme of State Statistical Surveys compiled by the Statistical Office of the SR in coordination with the ministries and state institutions for a three-year period

- Determines that Statistical Office of the SR, ministries and state organizations are independent and impartial in obtaining, processing and evaluating statistical information

- Obliges the Statistical Office of the SR to regularly inform the public about the socio-economic and demographic development, to provide statistical information and publish statistical publications.

- Defines the obligation of secrecy and confidential data protection.

EU legislation:

Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European demographic statistics.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 205/2014 laying down uniformed conditions for the implementation of Regulation (EU) No. 1260/2013, as regards breakdowns of data, deadlines and data revisions.

Programme of State Statistical Surveys

Inter-departmental agreements (agreements with key data producers from the central state bodies, mainly the Ministry of Interior of the SR and the Ministry of Health of the SR) 

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.

 
The statistical disclosure control is part of:

1) National legislation: 

- Act No 540/2001 Coll. on State Statistics, as amended, defines the obligation of secrecy and confidential data protection. Confidential data may not be disclosed or communicated to anyone or used for other than statistical purposes without the consent of the legal or natural persons who provided them and to which they relate. (§ 1 Scope of the Act: ´This Act shall regulate the conditions for collecting statistical data and statistical information necessary for the assessment of the socio-economic development, position and competencies of the bodies gathering State statistics, the tasks of the public authorities in the field of State statistics, the rights and duties of reporting units, the protection of confidential statistical data against misuse, the provision and disclosure of statistical data, the ensuring of the comparability of statistical information and the fulfilment of commitments arising from international treaties in the field of State statistics binding for the Slovak Republic.´. Part five ´Dissemination of statistical information´ / ´Obligation to Maintain Confidentiality and Confidential Statistical Data Protection´ — § 29, § 30).

- Law Act No. 18/2018 Coll. on personal data protection and on the amendment of certain other acts, as amended

2) Internal regulations of the Statistical Office of the SR:

Directive of the Statistical Office of the SR (SME-10/2023) on the protection and disclosure of confidential statistical data.
Protection of confidential statistical data (methodological instruction, MET-7/2023).
Principles of Confidential Statistical Data Protection Use.

Employees of bodies performing state statistics or ensuring the processing of statistical surveys or data collection are obliged to maintain confidentiality of confidential statistical data with which they are acquainted. The obligation of confidentiality shall apply also to those to whom confidential statistical data have been provided for the scientific purposes.
The Statistical Office of the SR provides or publishes statistical data and information without direct identifiers in such a form that the data provided to the requesters cannot be directly or indirectly identified therein (i. e. it applies the active protection for all reporting units).

Conditions for granting access to confidential statistical data for scientific purposes

Personal data protection

The Statistical Office of the SR publishes data in accordance with the First Release Calendar, Publication Release Calendar and with the Schedule for updating the ´DATAcube´public database. Final annual data are released on the SO SR´s web site within 90 days and the population structures within 4 months, after the end of the reference year (i. e. in March of Y+1). Preliminary monthly data are released within 60 days after the end of the reference month; the preliminary data for the reference year Y become final in March of Y+1.

In connection with the Covid-19 pandemic (since the year 2020), the deadline for the processing and providing data on the numbers of deaths has shortened, as follows: the first preliminary numbers of deaths are released (in the DATAcube database) within 20 days after the end of the reference month, in the breakdown by week of death, age group and sex; the period of the release of preliminary monthly numbers of deaths has been reduced from 60 to 30 days after the end of the reference month and, in addition, they have a more detailed structure (i. e. by age, sex and cause of death).

Release dates (periodicity) of information reports and publications:

• Information reports on population stock and change: 1 - 3Q of the current year (i. e. quarterly reports), 1Q after the end of the reference year (i. e. the annual report containing the final data) 
• Information reports on the latest development of mortality in the Slovak Republic and in its regions (NUTS 3): quarterly during the current year (quarterly reports), 1st quarter of the year following the reference year (annual report containing final data)
• ´WE IN NUMBERS – Population Change´: March
• ´WE IN NUMBERS – International Migration´: April
• ´STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS´ – i. e. the thematic publication describing in detail the main trends of individual demographic phenomena in the SR: October
• ´The Population Change in the SR (´Source Publication´ containing numerous cross-tables for all demographic events): June
• The Statistical Yearbook of the Slovak Republic: January

Principles of Release and Provision of Statistical Information: https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/services/infoservis/principles

Cataloque of Publications

Release Calendar - Extended Event Calendar

Information Reports Catalogue

News

Publications

The release and provision of statistical information is conducted in compliance with the Act No. 540/2001 Coll. on state statistics, as amended. It has to fulfil the criteria of the European Statistics Code of Practice, namely the timeliness, accuracy, reliability, relevance, clarity, impartiality, objectivity, professional independence, cost-effectiveness.

• Policy on Dissemination of Statistical Information of the SO SR
• Principles of Release and Provision of Statistical Information

— free of charge, on the portal of the Statistical Office of the SR (https://slovak.statistics.sk)

News: https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/themes/demography/population/news

Indicators: https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/themes/demography/population/indicators

Publications: https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/themes/demography/population/publications

Metadata: https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/themes/demography/population/metadata

DATAcube. database: http://datacube.statistics.sk/#!/lang/en

— via the Information Service (https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/services/infoservis)

 Basic Forms of Releasing and Providing Statistical Information:

- dissemination of information through the Office´s website,

- products in printed form,

- information provision based on users requests (by mail, e-mail, via electronic services, by telephone or in person),

- communication with the public (press conferences, articles and discussions for the print and other media), working meetings with the users of statistical information.

Data are disseminated monthly, quarterly and yearly.

Dissemination is made in line with the 8.1 Release calendar.

• monthly and quarterly (provisional data: main figures on the population stock and change; monthly numbers of deaths by month of death, age, sex and cause of death; monthly numbers of deaths by week of death, age groups and sex)
• annually (final data: demographic balances of population, detailed tables on individual demographic processes; cross-tables, which have the character of a demographic yearbook (source publication), specific outputs, e. g. mortality tables, nuptiality tables, divorce tables, fertility table; final monthly and quarterly data for the past reference year).

Stock of population in the SR on 31st December 2023

Demography – deaths and causes of deaths in the SR in the year 2023

Information Reports on the population stock and change for quarter of the year and for the whole year, published in quarterly periodicity (1Q, 2Q, 3Q, the whole year)

Quarterly press releases on the latest development of mortality in the Slovak Republic. Quarterly death figures (broken down by age group, cause of death, region /NUTS 3/) are compared with the average quarterly death figures for the previous 5 years (2015 - 2019) in order to get the excess mortality. The press releases include the analytical text, data tables and graphs. They are published on the website of the SO SR.           

Population and Migration; Information Reports Catalogue

Demographic publications are accessible on the website of the Statistical Office of the SR: Publications

The list of demographic publications available online:

• The Population Change in the SR (´Source Publication´) (periodical - annual publication including numerous cross-tables for all demographic phenomena)
• WE IN NUMBERS – Population Change (periodical - annual publication including tables, graphs, maps)
• WE IN NUMBERS – International Migration (periodical - annual publication including tables, graphs, maps)
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of the population development in the SR, 2017 (thematic publication on a specific topic different each year, including analytical text, tables, graphs, maps)
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of the development of nuptiality in the SR, 2018
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of the development of fertility in the SR, 2019
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of the development of mortality in the SR, 2020
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of the development of divorce in the SR, 2021 
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of the development of migration in the SR, 2022
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of population development in the SR, 2023 (to be released in June 2024)
• STATISTICS IN CONTEXTS – Main trends of population development in the regions of the SR, 2023 (to be released in October 2024)

INFORMATION REPORTS: Population and Migration; Information Reports Catalogue

JOURNAL: Slovak Statistics and Demography (scientific reviewed journal focusing on the presentation of modern statistical and demographic methods and procedures)

YEARBOOK (the printed and online publication): The Statistical Yearbook of the Slovak Republic

Slovak Republic in figures

The DATAcube database: http://datacube.statistics.sk/#!/lang/en 

The STATdat database: http://statdat.statistics.sk/cognosext/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi?b_action=xts.run&m=portal/cc.xts&gohome=

Statistical data shall be published in aggregated form.

Research entities, in particular universities and other higher education institutions as well as scientific research organizations or institutions, have access to confidential statistical data for the scientific purposes. The Statistical Office of the SR can provide access to confidential statistical data either through anonymised data submission to research entities, or through access to the Data research center (DRC). The SO SR grants access through a contract for the provision of confidential statistical data for scientific purposes between the research entity and the Office, specifying the conditions for access to the data, the obligations of the parties, the arrangements for ensuring statistical confidentiality and the penalties for breaching these rules.

Microdata are sent to research entities in the form of an anonymised dataset, i. e. they are protected in such a way as to minimise the risk of re-identification and to preserve the maximum possible informative value.

Other outputs of demographic statistics available on the web-site of the Statistical Office of the SR:

Conditions for use and further dissemination of the SO SR statistical information

• Key indicators, graphs and maps
• Pre-defined tables: 

o Cross-tables ´The Population Change in the SR ('Source Publication')´, 1992 – 2023

o Life tables (Healthy life years by EU SILC 2005 – 2022, mortality tables 1996 – 2023, nuptiality tables for singles 1996 – 2023, divorce tables by duration of marriage 1996 – 2023, fertility tables 1992 – 2023)

o Structure of the population of the SR by highest educational attainment

•  Graphs and maps:  

o Population pyramids of the SR 1945 – 2023

o Maps (age characteristics, nationality, population increase, nuptiality, divorce, migration, fertility, natality, abortion, mortality) for the districts of the Slovak Republic, 2009 – 2023

•  Metadata, About theme (the system of demographic statistics in the Slovak Republic), Glossary

Annual international data collections of vital and migration statistics:

– organized by Eurostat:

• DEMOBAL (Population change – Demographic balance and crude rates at national level): first results on the main demographic developments for the reference year at national level; deadline: 30 June of the year following the reference year;
• URESPOP (Total usually resident population at national level required for the purpose of Qualified Majority Voting in the Council of the EU); deadline: 31 August of the year following the reference year;
• NOWCAST (Nowcast demographic data collection; Nowcasting Data Collection): the latest monthly data on births, deaths and migrants at national level in order to produce a population estimate for the following year; deadline: 30 November;
• POPSTAT (until 2020 'UNIDEMO'): final results on the main demographic developments in the reference year; it is the main data collection at national and regional level; deadline: 31 December of the year following the reference year; by gentleman's agreement, the figures are sent within 11 months after the end of the reference year (30 November);
• The collection of micro-data on causes of death at NUTS 2 level (2 datasets shall be sent: 'General mortality' and 'Neonatal deaths and stillbirths'); deadline: within 24 months after the end of the reference year (31 December); by gentleman's agreement, the figures are sent within 18 months after the end of the reference year (30 June);
• The monthly collection of data on the number of deaths by week of death, age groups and sex in the Slovak Republic, NUTS 2 and in regions; the SO SR sends the data to Eurostat within 15 days after the end of the reference month.

– organised by the WHO (annual collection of mortality and population data; European health for all database (HFA-DB); country consultations);

– organised by the UN (annual data collection for child mortality estimates; consultations on selected global indicators for monitoring the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development).

The format for dissemination of outputs fully meets the guidelines for the transmission of data to Eurostat.

Metadata , About theme

Methodological instructions for completing the statistical forms are included in the statistical reports OBYV 1-5/12; they are published also as a separate document (Methodological Guidelines for Ensuring the Reporting Duty). Samples (specimen) of statistical forms and the guidelines on data collection are published in: https://zber.statistics.sk/en/data-collection ; https://zber.statistics.sk/en/home.

Methodological explanatory notes are included in all demographic publications and in the DATAcube. database (menu branch / Demography and social statistics / Population and migration / Demographic Balances of Population; Stock and Change of the Population). Changes in methodology are announced in the form of methodological explanations or notes which are added to the published data in all relevant publications, following implementation of the changes.

Vision and mission, common shared values and strategic / quality objectives of the SO SR

Quality policy of the SO SR

Quality declaration of the SO SR

Strategic map of the SO SR

Annual Reports of the SO SR

Quality manual

The Quality Declaration expresses basic visions and commitments of the President and Top-Management of the SO SR to Quality Policy of the SO SR, as well as to increase effectiveness and efficiency of the Integrated Quality Management System of the SO SR. Quality policy is based on the mission of the SO SR to provide high quality and objective statistical products and services by keeping confidentiality of statistical data and by minimising burden on interested parties using effectively existing resources with the aim to support improvement of the information and intellectual capital of customers.

Statistics is produced in accordance with relevant EU legislation, in line with the principles of the European Statistical Code of Practice. Live births and deaths are defined in accordance with Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 and immigrants and emigrants in accordance with Article 2.1 of Regulation (EC) No 862/2007.

The Statistical Office of the SR holds certificates in the areas:

• quality management system
• information security management system

The SO SR produces technical projects describing the data processing, including a description of the statistical controls and algorithms within the Integrated Statistical Information System. The system of automatic checks and algorithms for consistency and completeness of collected data has been developed.

Demography statistics is based on the comprehensive data of the most recent Population Census, which are updated annually by results of the ongoing, exhaustive statistical survey on population changes (vital events and migration), covering the whole population of the SR.

Completeness of vital statistics:

- All registered events of persons with a permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic irrespective of their citizenship. Since 2012, children born abroad by mothers with a permanent residence in the SR have been included in the number of immigrants upon their first registration for permanent residence in the territory of the SR. See 3.4.2 and 3.4.3.

- Events of non-resident persons are not included.

The requirement to consult users of statistical information is laid down in the Act on State Statistics itself. Consultations in the preparation of state statistical surveys are carried out in the framework of the preparation of the Programme of State Statistical Surveys. The Programme of State Statistical Surveys is a generally binding legal regulation compiled by the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with ministries, other central bodies and state organizations. It contains the list of statistical surveys organized and executed by the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, ministries, other government authorities and state organizations. The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic issues the Programme of State Statistical Surveys in the form of a decree published in the Collection of Laws of the Slovak Republic.
The Statistical Council is a permanent professional consultative body of the President of the SO SR, whose task is to prepare and submit proposals and recommendations on the concepts of statistical surveys and to consult the Programme of State Statistical Surveys.

User needs are registered in the system of the Statistical Office of the SR (Information Service). They are taken into account during the design of dissemination products. Concerning population and vital events data, ouputs available on the website of the Statistical Office of the SR (DATAcube database, publications, pre-defined tables, news/information reports) offer a wide range of data, which fulfill most of user needs. Data requests include also more complex outputs requiring ad hoc retrievals from internal (non-public) databases.

The aim is to satisfy user needs to the most extent possible while taking into account the protection of personal and confidential data.

Since 2009, the Statistical Office of the SR has been conducting customer satisfaction surveys concerning its products and services at two-year intervals. The aim of the surveys is to determine customer satisfaction with the products and services of the SO SR, to obtain information about users, their interest and opinion on the provision and quality of statistical products and services. The obtained facts are a valuable source for the direction of further activities of the SO SR.

One of the main objectives set out in the Development Strategy of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic until 2022 is to systematically increase the value of the institution and its recognition at national and international level. The fulfilment of this objective is monitored also by means of the indicators of the credibility of the SO SR and the rate of utilisation of the provided information by the public. The SO SR conducts credibility surveys through an external independent organisation once every 2 years, with the intention of ensuring the objectivity of the results from the public's point of view.

The majority of users of these statistics are students; research; central authorities; other publics; international organisations; public administration; media. At present, there is no information available on lower levels of user satisfaction with regard to the completeness (variables, breakdowns), accuracy or timeliness of demographic and migration statistics.

Demographic statistics at international level is produced in accordance with the EU legislation (e.g. Regulation (EU) No. 1260/2013 on European Demographic Statistics; Regulation (EC) No. 223/2009 on European statistics) and with the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice. At national level, it takes into account the requirements of the Programme of State Statistical Surveys.

Population number is released no later than 3 months after the end of the reference year and population structures no later than 4 months after the end of the reference year. See also 8.1.

There were no time delays in the publication and provision of data.

The timeliness of demographic and migration statistics is ensured in accordance with the Program of State Statistical Surveys (with the stipulated periodicity of the statistical survey and the deadlines for the provision of statistical data by reporting units).

100% of releases are delivered on time, based on the scheduled release dates.

At national level, data from demographic and migration statistics are published and provided on time, i.e., in accordance with the first release calendar, calendar of publications release and the schedule for updating the public database ´DATAcube´.
Data for Eurostat are provided in accordance with the deadlines set out for the annual demographic data collections (point 10.5).

Data are fully comparable.

The level of geographical detail of demographic survey results is processed in accordance with the Regulation (EC) No. 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS).

The Decree of the Statistical Office of the SR No. 438/2004 Coll. issues the classification of statistical territorial units based on the principles of the international NUTS classification; the Decree regulates the classification of statistical territorial units for the purposes of regional statistics, for the provision of comparable data of regional statistics within the European Statistical System and for the analytical purposes.

In 1996, pursuant to the Act of the NC SR No. 221/1996 Coll., the territorial and administrative division of the SR was changed with effect from 1 August 1996, whereby 8 regions and 79 districts were established, replacing the territorial and administrative division of the SR valid until 30 July 1996 (4 regions: Bratislava – the capital city of the SR, Western Slovakia, Central Slovakia and Eastern Slovakia and 38 districts).

Population: breaks in years, in which population census was held

Live births: since 2012, the number of live births has not included children born abroad by mothers with a permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic, they have been included in the number of immigrants, upon their first registration for permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

The Statistical Office of the SR is the only provider of the population stocks figures for the state statistics in the Slovak Republic.

See 8.1. Release calendar and 15.2. Comparability - over time.

In the Slovak Republic, demography statistics is built upon results of the Population Census. In the intercensal period (i.e. between two subsequent censuses), the number of population is calculated by means of the balancing method:

Population on 31 December = Population on 1 January + Live Births from 1 January to 31 December - Deaths from 1 January to 31 December + Immigrants from 1 January to 31 December - Emmigrants from 1 January to 31 December

The data cover all inhabitants residing permanently in the territory of the Slovak Republic regardless of their citizenship. 

Not available.

No data revisions are made:

although Census results differ from results of the routine statistical survey on population change, the data are not revised after the subsequent Census. (Data revised only upon Eurostat request, for the Eurostat purposes).

The annual population data are final when first released and are not subject to revision.
The monthly and quarterly data, which are published monthly and quarterly, are provisional when first released. Final monthly and quarterly data are published within 3 months after the end of the reference year Y, i.e., at the end of March of the subsequent year (Y+1), following the processing of the annual population balance.

Not applicable

Data on vital events and migration are collected on a monthly basis.

Data are collected by way of statistical survey on population changes (vital events and migration) conducted each year by the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic by means of statistical reports OBYV 1-5/12. The survey covers persons with permanent residence in the territory of the Slovak Republic irrespective of their citizenship (i. e. SR citizens, EU citizens registered for permanent residence in the SR and third-country citizens with granted permanent residence permit in the territory of the SR). It is an exhaustive survey conducted under the Programme of National Statistical Surveys. The Programme of National Statistical Surveys is a legislative document imposing the reporting duty concerning all statistical surveys on reporting units according to § 18, Par. 3 of Act No. 540/2001 Coll. on State Statistics as amended.

The data are collected from the reporting units including municipal and city authorities in charge of keeping birth, marriage and death registers (i. e. registry offices), health institutions, residence registration offices of municipal and city authorities, Foreign Police departments of the Ministry of Interior for foreigners. There is also a special register of the vital events that occurred to Slovak Republic´s citizens abroad.

Data are drawn from the reports on vital events and migration for each person with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic; with respect to the DEMOBAL data collection, they are the following reports:
OBYV 2-12 (Statistical Report on Birth)
OBYV 3-12 (Medical Report and the Statistical Report on Death)
OBYV 5-12 (Statistical Report on Change of the Address of Permanent Residence/Report on Migration)

• Information collected via OBYV 2-12 includes: personal data of child (date of birth, PIN, sex, citizenship at the time of birth), basic characteristics of birth (vitality, type of birth, birth weight, birth length, duration of pregnancy in weeks, total number of children of the mother, number of children born during the present marriage, date of birth of the former child), details on child´s parents (date of birth, place of birth, citizenship, PIN, highest level of completed education, nationality, address of permanent residence, date when the marriage was concluded), marital status of mother
• Information collected via OBYV 3-12 includes: date of death, details on the deceased (date of birth, PIN, sex, highest level of completed education, employment, country, district and municipality of death, location of death, place of birth, address of permanent residence, marital status, nationality, citizenship, PIN of surviving husband/wife), cause of death, information on autopsy, details on children deceased under 1 year of age (duration of life, location of death, birth weight, whether the father of the child was husband of the child´s mother)
• Information collected via OBYV 5-12 includes: details on the person who has changed her/his address of permanent residence (date of birth, PIN, sex, marital status, highest level of completed education, nationality, citizenship), date when the person was registered on residence, reason for change of permanent residence, place of birth, address of the former and of the new permanent residence, or country of departure and country of arrival)

Metadata: https://slovak.statistics.sk/wps/portal/ext/metadata

In the data collection process, automatic checks are performed to check for the data completeness and relationships between variables. In terms of the severity of errors, a distinction is made between informative notices (i. e. warnings) and serious errors which have to be corrected or justified by the reporting unit.

Demography statistics is built upon results of the Population Census. Census results are the basic data that serve for balancing the population data in the intercensal period in the Slovak Republic.
The population stock on 31 December is calculated by the demographic balancing equation from the population stock on 1 January, the numbers of live births, deaths and changes of permanent residence (immigrants, emigrants) registered each year.

Demography statistics is processed continually, separately for each month (i, e. monthly statistical processing) and for the whole year (i. e. annual statistical processing). Due to possible shifts in the administrative registration of individual demographic events with reporting unit (registry offices, or residence registration offices, or district courts), the processing of demographic events in the course of the year is subject to monthly updating. For this reason, the data during the current year are provisional until the annual statistical processing is completed. The first final data are available within 3 months after the end of the reference year (i. e. at the end of March of the year following the reference year).

The dates of occurrence of demographic events, not the dates of their administrative registration, are used in compiling population data.

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