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
F2: Population and migration
1.3. Contact name
Restricted from publication
1.4. Contact person function
Restricted from publication
1.5. Contact mail address
2920 Luxembourg LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Restricted from publication
1.7. Contact phone number
Restricted from publication
1.8. Contact fax number
Restricted from publication
2.1. Metadata last certified
28 February 2025
2.2. Metadata last posted
28 February 2025
2.3. Metadata last update
13 March 2025
3.1. Data description
Each year Eurostat collects demographic data at regional level from EU, EFTA and Candidate countries as part of the Population Statistics data collection. POPSTAT is Eurostat’s main annual demographic data collection and aims to gather information on demography and migration at national and regional levels by various breakdowns (for the full overview see the Eurostat dedicated section). More specifically, POPSTAT collects data at regional levels on:
population stocks;
vital events (live births and deaths).
Each country must send the statistics for the reference year (T) to Eurostat by 31 December of the following calendar year (T+1). Eurostat then publishes the data in March of the calendar year after that (T+2).
Demographic data at regional level include statistics on the population at the end of the calendar year and on live births and deaths during that year, according to the official classification for statistics at regional level (NUTS - nomenclature of territorial units for statistics) in force in the year. These data are broken down by NUTS 2 and 3 levels for EU countries. For more information on the NUTS classification and its versions please refer to the Eurostat dedicated pages. For EFTA and Candidate countries the data are collected according to the agreed statistical regions that have been coded in a way that resembles NUTS.
The breakdown of demographic data collected at regional level varies depending on the NUTS/statistical region level. These breakdowns are summarised below, along with the link to the corresponding online table:
NUTS 2 level
Population by sex, age and region of residence — demo_r_d2jan
Population on 1 January by age group, sex and region of residence — demo_r_pjangroup
Live births by mother's age, mother's year of birth and mother's region of residence — demo_r_fagec
Deaths by sex, age, and region of residence — demo_r_magec
NUTS 3 level
Population on 1 January by sex, age group and region of residence — demo_r_pjangrp3
Population on 1 January by broad age group, sex and region of residence — demo_r_pjanaggr3
Live births (total) by region of residence — demo_r_births
Live births by five-year age group of the mothers and region of residence — demo_r_fagec3
Deaths (total) by region of residence — demo_r_deaths
Deaths by five-year age group, sex and region of residence — demo_r_magec3
This more detailed breakdown (by five-year age group) of the data collected at NUTS 3 level started with the reference year 2013 and is in accordance with the European laws on demographic statistics. In addition to the regional codes set out in the NUTS classification in force, these online tables include few additional codes that are meant to cover data on persons and events that cannot be allocated to any official NUTS region. These codes are denoted as CCX/CCXX/CCXXX (Not regionalised/Unknown level 1/2/3; CC stands for country code) and are available only for France, Hungary, North Macedonia and Albania, reflecting the raw data as transmitted to Eurostat.
For the reference years from 1990 to 2012 all countries sent to Eurostat all the data on a voluntary basis, therefore the completeness of the tables and the length of time series reflect the level of data received from the responsible National Statistical Institutes’ (NSIs) data provider. As a general remark, a lower data breakdown is available at NUTS 3 level as detailed:
population data are broken down by sex and broad age groups (0-14, 15-64 and 65 or more). The data have this disaggregation since the reference year 2007 for all countries, and even longer for some — demo_r_pjanaggr3
vital events (live births and deaths) data are available only as totals, without any further breakdown — demo_r_births and demo_r_deaths
Demographic indicators are calculated by Eurostat based on the above raw data using a common methodology for all countries and regions. The regional demographic indicators computed by NUTS level and the corresponding online tables are summarised below:
NUTS 2 level
Population structure indicators by region of residence (shares of various population age groups, dependency ratios and median age) — demo_r_pjanind2
Fertility indicators by region of residence — demo_r_find2
Fertility rates by age and region of residence — demo_r_frate2
Life table by age, sex and region of residence — demo_r_mlife
Life expectancy by age, sex and region of residence — demo_r_mlifexp
Infant mortality rates by region of residence — demo_r_minfind
NUTS 3 level
Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates at regional level — demo_r_gind3
Population structure indicators by region of residence (shares of various population age groups, dependency ratios and median age) — demo_r_pjanind3
Fertility indicators by region of residence (total fertility rate, mean age of woman at childbirth and median age of woman at childbirth) — demo_r_find3
Notes:
1) All the indicators are computed for all lower NUTS regions included in the tables (e.g. data included in a table at NUTS 3 level will include also the data for NUTS 2, 1 and country levels).
2) Demographic indicators computed by NUTS 2 and 3 levels are calculated using input data that have different age breakdown. Therefore, minor differences can be noted between the values corresponding to the same indicator of the same region classified as NUTS 2, 1 or country level.
3) Since the reference year 2015, Eurostat has stopped collecting data on area; therefore, the table 'Area by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3area)' includes data up to the year 2015 included.
4) Starting with the reference year 2016, the population density indicator is computed using the new data on area 'Area by NUTS 3 region (reg_area3).
1. Population on 1 January should be based on concept of usual resident population, i.e. the number of inhabitants of a given area on 1 January of the year in question (or, in some cases, on 31 December of the previous year). The population figures can be based on data from the most recent census adjusted by the components of population change produced since the last census, or based on population registers.
Usually resident population means all persons having usual residence in a country at the reference time.
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.
The following persons alone are considered to be usual residents of the geographical area in question:
those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or
those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year.
2. Live birth means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a result of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached: each result of such a birth is considered live-born, regardless of gestational age.
3. Death means the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place (postnatal cessation of vital functions without capability of resuscitation).
Infant death means the death of a live-born infant who has not yet completed one (1) year of life.
4. Age represents the elapsed time since birth. The age concept includes two definitions:
age reached (or age reached during the year) represents the number of completed years lived at the end of calendar year in question. For example, under this age concept, a person born in 1942 will be 70 years on each day of the calendar year 2012, irrespective of his/her birthday. This is the case of all persons belonging to the 1942 generation - persons that were born during the year 1942. The age reached during the year is also equal to the year in question minus the year of birth (2012-1942 = 70).
age completed (or age last birthday) represents the number of completed years lived by a person, so no decimals are taken into account. It is expressed as the number of birthday anniversaries passed on the date of reference.
5.Open-ended age class concept: Y_OPEN code
This concept is meant to be a solution for presenting different open-ended (or terminal) age classes for data on population and deaths reported by the countries.
The open-ended age classes for data on population are the following: 85 and over (+), 90+, 95+, 99+ and 100+ with the exceptions:
Bulgaria: 80+ for the years 1994, 1995 and 1996
Cyprus: 80+ for the years 1990, 1991 and 1992
Turkey: 75+ for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011
Open-ended age class contains all the people aged more than the last single age for which a country can report. For example, if a country can provide data on its population by single year of age up to 94 years old, the 'open-ended age class' includes population aged 95 and over.
3.5. Statistical unit
The statistical unit varies depending on the regional demography tables, as follows:
person - for all population data tables;
events - for vital events (live birth and death) data tables.
3.6. Statistical population
Total population of a region at a given NUTS level.
Total number of vital events in a region at a given NUTS level.
3.7. Reference area
The population statistics are published by single country, by region and by aggregates of countries, as follows:
The Member States of the European Union are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
Regional refers to NUTS level 1, NUTS level 2 or NUTS level 3 as defined in the Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 and available according to the classification in force at the reference time. Where 'NUTS' is used in connection with countries that are not members of the European Union, 'regional' means the statistical regions at level 1, 2 or 3 as agreed between those countries and the European Commission (Eurostat), at the reference time.
Statistics from the UK are available only until the withdrawal of the country from the EU.
3.8. Coverage - Time
The available time series collected and published in Eurostat's database varies depending on the data collected and their breakdown. The longest time series starts with the year 1990 and continues to the latest available reference year.
The completeness of the time series of the demography statistics collected depends on the availability of data transmitted by the National Statistical Institutes, as follows:
starting with the reference year 2013 - data are provided according to the EU Regulations listed in "6.1 Institutional mandate – legal acts and other agreements";
for the years 2012 and backward - data are provided on voluntary basis.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
Population, live births and deaths are expressed in absolute values.
Crude rates are expressed per 1000 of the average population.
Area (total, land) of a region is expressed in square kilometres.
Population density is expressed as persons per square kilometre.
Life expectancy at a given age, median age of the population, median age of the population, mean age- and median age- of the woman at childbirth are expressed in years.
Shares of various age groups of the population are expressed in percentages.
All countries with agreed regional breakdown send to Eurostat the data on population on 31 December in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics. Eurostat publishes the population data as 1 January of the following year (reference year + 1). The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Starting with the reference year 2013 the demographic data at regional level are collected by Eurostat in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics and the NUTS classification in force during the reference year.
The current online regional data are in accordance with the:
Regulation (EU) No 205/2014 laying down uniformed conditions for the implementation of Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics as regards breakdowns of data, deadlines and data revisions Text with EEA relevance.
Agreements between Eurostat and candidate countries and between Eurostat and EFTA countries, for which statistical regions have been coded in a way that resembles NUTS.
Before the reference year 2013 all data collected were sent by National Statistical Institutes on voluntary basis according to the NUTS classification in force at the time.
6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing
Not applicable.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics (recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 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 Regulation (EU) No 2015/759 of 29 April 2015 amends the Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 as regards the violation of statistical confidentiality.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
For Germany, for the data on vital events, disclosure of cells with less than 3 persons is not allowed and primary and secondary protection rules are applied.
8.1. Release calendar
Data are released via Eurobase during March-April of each year, after Eurostat has received and validated the data sent by each country included in the POPSTAT data collection. During the calendar year are validated and published any revised data sent by countries.
8.2. Release calendar access
Not applicable.
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.
Data are published annually and whenever revised data are sent to Eurostat.
Regional demographic data are checked before being uploaded into the database and published. The validation rules ensure that the data are consistent and the indicators are comparable from year to year.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Under Article 11 of Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics, the Commission shall also submit reports on the implementation of the Regulation to the European Parliament and the Council as follows:
These reports must evaluate the quality of the data transmitted by Member States and EFTA countries and the data collection methods used. If appropriate, the reports should be accompanied by proposals for improving the legal framework for population and vital events statistics under this Regulation.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Statistics on population change and on population structure are increasingly used to support policy-making and to monitor demographic behaviour within political, economic, social and cultural contexts.
The NUTS classification (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) is a hierarchical system for dividing up the economic territory of the EU for the purpose of:
collecting, developing and harmonising of European regional statistics;
socio-economic analyses of the NUTS regions at various levels:
NUTS 1 level - the major socio-economic regions;
NUTS 2 level - the basic regions for the application of regional policies;
NUTS 3 level - smaller regions for specific diagnoses;
framing of EU regional policies:
Regions eligible for support under the cohesion policy have been defined at NUTS 2 level;
The Cohesion report that has so far mainly been prepared at NUTS 2 level.
The NUTS classification is defined only for the EU Member States. For EFTA and Candidate countries the data are collected according to the agreed statistical regions that have been coded in a way that resembles NUTS.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
No user satisfaction surveys are carried out.
12.3. Completeness
Data completeness depends on the data availability as sent by the National Statistical Institutes.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Not applicable.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
The regional demographic data are usually disseminated within 15 months after the end of the reference year, for both NUTS 2 and 3 levels.
The reference year is the calendar year for which data on vital events (live births and deaths) are transmitted to Eurostat.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December).
14.2. Punctuality
Starting with 2013 reference year, the regional demographic data are mandatory and part of the main annual demographic data collection (POPSTAT) that has the deadline on 31 December (Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 205/2014).
Until 2012 reference year, the deadline for sending regional demographic data was 15 December of the calendar year T. Most of the countries transmitted data to Eurostat by the deadline, although the data were sent to Eurostat on voluntary basis.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
The recommended definition of the 'population' for the statistics on population reported under Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1260/2013 and under Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 is the 'usually resident population' meaning all the persons having their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time. Where the circumstances described above cannot be established, 'usual residence' can be taken to mean the place of legal or registered residence.
Summary with the reported reference populations based on which statistics on population, births and deaths are transmitted by the National Statistical Institutes to Eurostat. Several countries place themselves in two categories, with justification in the national metadata files.
Usually Resident Population([1]): BE, BG, CZ[4], CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, LV, MT, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK[5], RS, UK.
Registered Residence Population([3]): AT, CZ, DE, DK, ES, IS, IT, LU, NL, NO, SE, TR.
Other: –
[1] 'Usually Resident Population' as stated in Article 2 of Regulation 1260/2013.
[2] 'Legal Residence Population' is composed of those persons who are entitled to be settled in the country at the reference date, either by holding the national citizenship or by other authorization issued by national authorities.
[3] 'Registered Residence Population' is composed of those persons who are listed on one or more registers owned by national authorities at the reference date. Each registered person shall be counted only once.
Comparability over time could be affected by breaks in data series due to methodological changes, data processing changes or revisions in data figures reported by the countries. These breaks in series are documented in Eurostat’s database with the flag b (break in series).
The population data for the year 2021 and after take into account the results of the latest population census (held in 2021-2022). Following Eurostat’s recommendations to ensure consistency of statistics over time, several Member States (Bulgaria, Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal) have revised their population time series between the reference years of the population and housing censuses held in 2011 and 2021. While this work was spread over time, revisions were transmitted and released in 2024 (for more information about data revision per country, see also 17. Data revision). While the processing of population revisons is ongoing, it may happen that EU aggregates are not fully syncronised with the corresponding sum of countries.
Over time, there have been geographical changes for certain countries, as seen in notes by country:
The time series for Germany (DE) refer to the Federal Republic within its frontiers after 3 October 1990.
The time series for France (FR) includes the overseas departments (DOM) starting with the year 1998. From 1990 until 1997 data refer to France metropolitan (mainland). Data on Saint Barthelemy are excluded starting with 1 January 2012. Data on Mayotte are included starting with the statistics on vital events for the reference year 2014 and with the statistics on population on 1 January 2015.
Data for Cyprus (CY) refer to the government-controlled area.
For Romania (RO), until 1997 region "Ilfov" was not a separate NUTS, but a special entity, the so-called “Ilfov agricultural sector”, subordinated to the municipality of Bucharest. Therefore, for the years 1995 and 1996, the data for what will become RO322 in 1997, are included in RO321 (since, at that time, this was the administrative organization of the Romanian territory).
Up to 2000, population data for Malta (MT) refer to the Maltese population only, but since 2001 the figures include also foreign residents. This is indicated by a flag b (break in series) in the figures for 2001.
Since 2010, permanent resident population data of Switzerland (CH) includes all persons in the asylum process who have been residing in Switzerland for 12 months or more. The change appears in Eurostat population figures starting with population reported for 1 January 2011.
In 2010 Poland (PL) revised the methodology used to estimate the usual resident population. This is indicated by a flag b (break in series) in the figures for 2010.
Since 1 January 2011 Belgium (BE) population figures refer to all registered persons including asylum seekers.
Since 1 January 2012 the reported Estonian (EE) population includes the migration component whereas this was not included before.
Whenever a NUTS classification changes, the countries concerned are invited to transmit the historical time series for the new regional breakdown. For more information please see the NUTS dedicated pages.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Since the reference year 2013, demographic data at regional level have been included in the new main annual demographic data collection (POPSTAT) in line with Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 and Regulation (EU) No 205/2014.
For the reference years 1990 until 2012 included, the data available in the Eurostat online tables corresponding to national level only were collected as part of the 'JOINT' data collection carried out in close cooperation with the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD). 'JOINT' was the main and the reference demographic data collection at national level, and was thus used to check data consistency for any country included in the regional demographic data collection. The data provided at national level in the two different data collections was not always fully consistent because the NSIs used different methods to produce demographic statistics at national and regional levels.
15.4. Coherence - internal
The internal coherence of the regional demographic data is checked during the validation process for each region at any NUTS level, including the consistency at the upper NUTS level. If inconsistencies are found, the national data provider is contacted and revised data are requested. These revised data are subject to the same validation process.
Not available.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Revised demographic data at regional level can be provided any time during the year. However, the official data provider must ensure the complete consistency of the dataset for the year under revision. For example, if population data provided at NUTS 2 level are revised then the population figures at NUTS 3 level must also be revised because they must be consistent at upper NUTS level. If data at national level are revised then the regional data at NUTS 2 and 3 levels must also be revised. Demographic indicators are updated accordingly.
To further specify the general Eurostat revision policy, the following revision policy has been established for demographic and migration statistics (as available in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 205/2014, art 5):
Member States shall inform the Eurostat of any planned revision of the data already supplied no later than one week before the release of the revised data in the Member State concerned.
Member States shall provide any revised data to the Eurostat no later than one week after the release of these data.
Member States shall ensure that any revised data provided to the Eurostat is consistent with the whole set of data already provided.
For more information please see also in the Eurostat dedicated section on demography, population stocks and balance.
The policy of Eurostat is to make updates as soon as data is received and at any time during the year.
For the usually resident population for the purpose of the Qualified Majority Voting see the specific metadata.
17.2. Data revision - practice
Population statistics are revised on a continuous base according to the most recent data released and transmitted to Eurostat by the National Statistical Institutes. The geographical aggregates and the demographic indicators are accordingly revised.
The status of the data is indicated by using flags (flag p = provisional data; flag e = estimated; flag b = break in time series; flag f = forecast).
The revision practice effectively corresponds to the revision policy of the domain listed under sub‑concept 17.1 (data revision – policy).
All reported errors (once validated) result in corrections of the disseminated data.
Reported errors are corrected in the disseminated data as soon as the correct data have been validated.
Data may be published even if they are missing for certain countries or flagged as provisional or estimated for certain countries. They are replaced with final data once transmitted and validated. European aggregates and demographic indicators are updated for consistency with new country data.
Whenever new data are provided and validated, the already disseminated data are updated and European aggregates and demographic indicators are accordingly revised.
Data are usually revised for the last period. Countries however may choose the length of the revisions depending on the need. In principle, aggregates and components are revised at the same time or soon after a data revision is received by Eurostat. There are no routine revisions aiming at adjusting monthly time series of live births and deaths to have temporal consistency with the yearly series. For most of the countries data are considered final with the first sending, except in case of errors discovered after transmitting data to Eurostat and in case of post-census revisions. Revisions are published continuously as soon as received by Eurostat. Routine revisions are documented and monitored internally and communicated in the metadata files available in dissemination.
The impact of major revisions is analysed in working documents produced for experts' meetings held with representatives of National Statistical Institutes. Time series breaks caused by major revisions are not flagged, to provide break-free data, back-calculation is applied.
Major revisions are pre-announced and documented in the metadata files available in dissemination. The impacts of major revisions are communicated in working documents produced for experts meetings held with representatives of National Statistical Institutes.
18.1. Source data
Data are provided by the National Statistical Institutes. Most of the data are administrative data and registered data. Some countries might provide estimated data based on population census or national population projections, depending on the national calendar of data availability.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Regional demographic data are collected by Eurostat annually.
18.3. Data collection
The annual regional demographic data are collected by Eurostat from the National Statistical Institutes (see 3.1. Data description).
18.4. Data validation
Absolute figures received from the NSIs are validated by Eurostat before being sent to the online database.
Data consistency checks are performed at several levels of data processing. This involves checking rules, data imputation and data validation.
Checking rules means checking whether data fulfil the restrictions impose on the value that data item so it can be considered correct. If the figures are not integers (for population, live births and deaths) or are negative numbers (any figure in the dataset) no checks are carried out; the data provider is contacted for clarifications.
Data imputation is carried out when figures were not provided and they can be 'rebuilt'. This concerns cases like: the figure for the next lower NUTS level is not provided while all the higher NUTS components have data, or a 'zero' figure is missing between available age groups, or a line dash is used instead of a 'zero' figure.
Data validation means checking whether the specific logical conditions are fulfilled. The validation rules start from the highest NUTS level included in table, followed by the next lower level of aggregation. Cross validations are carried out to check data consistency between the different tables included in the collection (e.g. for the same region at NUTS 2 level population the distribution by broad age groups based on detailed figures included in the tables dedicated to regions at NUTS 2 level equals the figures provided in the tables dedicated to regions at NUTS 3 level). The next step of data validation involves checking the consistency of data and demographic indicators over time. Possible data errors detected at this stage are communicated to the countries to be checked and correct data are requested. The re-supplied data are validated in the same way.
18.5. Data compilation
Eurostat calculates various demographic statistics and indicators for all regions of the countries and all aggregates using a common methodology.
DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS and INDICATORS
Population change is the difference between the size of the total population at the end and the beginning of a period.
Natural change is the difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during the year. The natural change (or natural decrease) is negative when the number of deaths exceeds the number of births. The natural change (or natural increase) is positive when the number of births exceeds the number of deaths.
Net migration and Net migration including statistical adjustments
Net migration is the difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants from a given region during the year (net migration is therefore negative when the number of emigrants exceeds the number of immigrants).
Net migration including statistical adjustments is a general estimation of the net migration based on the difference between population change and natural change between two dates (in the Eurostat database it is called net migration plus statistical adjustment). In different countries net migration including statistical adjustment may, besides the difference between inward and outward migration, cover other changes in the population figures between 1 January for two consecutive years which cannot be attributed to births, deaths, immigration or emigration.
Demographic balance is theequation that describes the change in the size of the population due to the flows of live births, deaths, immigration and emigration occured in the reference year T.
Population[T+1] = total population on 1 January of the year T+1;
Population[T] = total population on 1 January of the year T;
Births[T, T+1] = total number of live births occurred in the time interval T to T+1;
Deaths[T, T+1] = total number of deaths occurred in the time interval T to T+1;
Net Migration*[T, T+1] = net migration including statistical adjustment over the time interval T to T+1.
Crude rates
Crude rate of population change is the ratio of the total population change during the year to the average population of the area in question in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Crude rate of natural change is the ratio of natural change over a period to the average population of the area in question during that period. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Crude rate of net migration including statistical adjustment is the ratio of the net migration including statistical adjustment during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants. The crude rate of net migration is equal to the difference between the crude rate of population change and the crude rate of natural change (that is, net migration is considered as the part of population change not attributable to births and deaths). It is calculated in this way because immigration or emigration flows are either not available or the figures are not reliable.
Crude birth rate is the ratio of the total number of live births during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Crude death rate is the ratio of the total number of deaths during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Fertility indicators
Total fertility rate (TFR) is the mean number of children that would be born alive to a woman during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years conforming to the fertility rates by age of a given year.
Fertility rates by mother's age (Age-Specific Fertility Rate) is the number of births of mothers of age x to the average female population of age x.
Mean age of woman at childbirth is the mean age of woman when their children are born (live births).
Median age of woman at childbirth is the age that divides the population of mothers at childbirth in two numerically equal groups, meaning half of the mothers are younger than the median age and half are older.
Eurostat uses the concept of 'age completed' when calculating fertility indicators.
Mortality indicators
Infant mortality rate is the ratio of the total number of deaths of children under one year of age during the year to the number of live births in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 live births.
Life expectancyat given exact age is the mean number of years still to be lived by a person who has reached a certain exact age, if subjected throughout the rest of his or her life to the current mortality conditions (age-specific probabilities of dying).
Life table is one of the most important and most widely used devices in demography, summarizing various aspects of the variation of mortality with age and showing, for each age, the probability that a person of that age will die before his next birthday. Functions pertaining to mortality are available in distinct tables: age specific death rates, probabilities of dying between exact ages, probability of surviving between exact ages, number left alive at a given exact age, number dying between exact ages, person-years lived between exact ages, total person-years lived above given exact age and life expectancy at given exact age.
Eurostat uses the concept of 'age completed' when calculating mortality indicators by age.
Age dependency ratios
Young age dependency ratio is the ratio of the persons aged 0-14 (1st variant) or 0-19 (2nd variant) or 0-19 (3rd variant) or 0-24 (4th variant) divided by the number of persons conventionally considered of working age (respectively 15-64 (1st variant) or 20-59 (2nd variant) or 20-64 (3rd variant) or 25-64 (4th variant)).
Old age dependency ratio is the number of persons of an age when they are conventionally considered economically inactive (65 years and over (1st variant) or 60 years and over (2nd variant) or 65 years and over (3rd variant) or 65 years and over (4th variant)) to the number of persons conventionally considered of working age (15-64 (1st variant) or 20-59 (2nd variant) or 20-64 (3rd variant) or 25-64 (4th variant)).
The total age dependency ratio is the sum of the young and old age dependency ratios.
Median age of population is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups, meaning half the people are younger than the median age and half are older.
Population density is the ratio of the (annual average) population of a region to the (land) area of the region; total area (including inland waters) is used when land area is not available.
18.6. Adjustment
Regional data are not adjusted. Data disseminated at national level in all tables of 'Regional demography' are the same as those in the 'National demography' tables.
Because the data are not adjusted, any discrepancies between data provided at regional level and those provided at national level are due either to:
different methods used by the countries to reconcile the estimated values at regional level and the country's total, and the rounding process involved, or
post-census revisions that are available only at national level; in this case only the national data are flagged (flag b = break in series). The same flag is applied to all NUTS regions for which the terittory is indentical to the country.
Whenever a NUTS classification changes, the countries concerned are invited to transmit the historical time series for the new regional breakdown. However, historical data for the new regions might not be available immediately, so the codes of these new regions will not be displayed untill data become available.
demo_gind_esms - Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates at national level
demo_pop_esms - Population (national level)
Each year Eurostat collects demographic data at regional level from EU, EFTA and Candidate countries as part of the Population Statistics data collection. POPSTAT is Eurostat’s main annual demographic data collection and aims to gather information on demography and migration at national and regional levels by various breakdowns (for the full overview see the Eurostat dedicated section). More specifically, POPSTAT collects data at regional levels on:
population stocks;
vital events (live births and deaths).
Each country must send the statistics for the reference year (T) to Eurostat by 31 December of the following calendar year (T+1). Eurostat then publishes the data in March of the calendar year after that (T+2).
Demographic data at regional level include statistics on the population at the end of the calendar year and on live births and deaths during that year, according to the official classification for statistics at regional level (NUTS - nomenclature of territorial units for statistics) in force in the year. These data are broken down by NUTS 2 and 3 levels for EU countries. For more information on the NUTS classification and its versions please refer to the Eurostat dedicated pages. For EFTA and Candidate countries the data are collected according to the agreed statistical regions that have been coded in a way that resembles NUTS.
The breakdown of demographic data collected at regional level varies depending on the NUTS/statistical region level. These breakdowns are summarised below, along with the link to the corresponding online table:
NUTS 2 level
Population by sex, age and region of residence — demo_r_d2jan
Population on 1 January by age group, sex and region of residence — demo_r_pjangroup
Live births by mother's age, mother's year of birth and mother's region of residence — demo_r_fagec
Deaths by sex, age, and region of residence — demo_r_magec
NUTS 3 level
Population on 1 January by sex, age group and region of residence — demo_r_pjangrp3
Population on 1 January by broad age group, sex and region of residence — demo_r_pjanaggr3
Live births (total) by region of residence — demo_r_births
Live births by five-year age group of the mothers and region of residence — demo_r_fagec3
Deaths (total) by region of residence — demo_r_deaths
Deaths by five-year age group, sex and region of residence — demo_r_magec3
This more detailed breakdown (by five-year age group) of the data collected at NUTS 3 level started with the reference year 2013 and is in accordance with the European laws on demographic statistics. In addition to the regional codes set out in the NUTS classification in force, these online tables include few additional codes that are meant to cover data on persons and events that cannot be allocated to any official NUTS region. These codes are denoted as CCX/CCXX/CCXXX (Not regionalised/Unknown level 1/2/3; CC stands for country code) and are available only for France, Hungary, North Macedonia and Albania, reflecting the raw data as transmitted to Eurostat.
For the reference years from 1990 to 2012 all countries sent to Eurostat all the data on a voluntary basis, therefore the completeness of the tables and the length of time series reflect the level of data received from the responsible National Statistical Institutes’ (NSIs) data provider. As a general remark, a lower data breakdown is available at NUTS 3 level as detailed:
population data are broken down by sex and broad age groups (0-14, 15-64 and 65 or more). The data have this disaggregation since the reference year 2007 for all countries, and even longer for some — demo_r_pjanaggr3
vital events (live births and deaths) data are available only as totals, without any further breakdown — demo_r_births and demo_r_deaths
Demographic indicators are calculated by Eurostat based on the above raw data using a common methodology for all countries and regions. The regional demographic indicators computed by NUTS level and the corresponding online tables are summarised below:
NUTS 2 level
Population structure indicators by region of residence (shares of various population age groups, dependency ratios and median age) — demo_r_pjanind2
Fertility indicators by region of residence — demo_r_find2
Fertility rates by age and region of residence — demo_r_frate2
Life table by age, sex and region of residence — demo_r_mlife
Life expectancy by age, sex and region of residence — demo_r_mlifexp
Infant mortality rates by region of residence — demo_r_minfind
NUTS 3 level
Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates at regional level — demo_r_gind3
Population structure indicators by region of residence (shares of various population age groups, dependency ratios and median age) — demo_r_pjanind3
Fertility indicators by region of residence (total fertility rate, mean age of woman at childbirth and median age of woman at childbirth) — demo_r_find3
Notes:
1) All the indicators are computed for all lower NUTS regions included in the tables (e.g. data included in a table at NUTS 3 level will include also the data for NUTS 2, 1 and country levels).
2) Demographic indicators computed by NUTS 2 and 3 levels are calculated using input data that have different age breakdown. Therefore, minor differences can be noted between the values corresponding to the same indicator of the same region classified as NUTS 2, 1 or country level.
3) Since the reference year 2015, Eurostat has stopped collecting data on area; therefore, the table 'Area by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_d3area)' includes data up to the year 2015 included.
4) Starting with the reference year 2016, the population density indicator is computed using the new data on area 'Area by NUTS 3 region (reg_area3).
13 March 2025
1. Population on 1 January should be based on concept of usual resident population, i.e. the number of inhabitants of a given area on 1 January of the year in question (or, in some cases, on 31 December of the previous year). The population figures can be based on data from the most recent census adjusted by the components of population change produced since the last census, or based on population registers.
Usually resident population means all persons having usual residence in a country at the reference time.
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.
The following persons alone are considered to be usual residents of the geographical area in question:
those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or
those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year.
2. Live birth means the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother of a result of conception, irrespective of the duration of pregnancy, which after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as beating of the heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord or definite movement of voluntary muscles, whether or not the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached: each result of such a birth is considered live-born, regardless of gestational age.
3. Death means the permanent disappearance of all evidence of life at any time after live birth has taken place (postnatal cessation of vital functions without capability of resuscitation).
Infant death means the death of a live-born infant who has not yet completed one (1) year of life.
4. Age represents the elapsed time since birth. The age concept includes two definitions:
age reached (or age reached during the year) represents the number of completed years lived at the end of calendar year in question. For example, under this age concept, a person born in 1942 will be 70 years on each day of the calendar year 2012, irrespective of his/her birthday. This is the case of all persons belonging to the 1942 generation - persons that were born during the year 1942. The age reached during the year is also equal to the year in question minus the year of birth (2012-1942 = 70).
age completed (or age last birthday) represents the number of completed years lived by a person, so no decimals are taken into account. It is expressed as the number of birthday anniversaries passed on the date of reference.
5.Open-ended age class concept: Y_OPEN code
This concept is meant to be a solution for presenting different open-ended (or terminal) age classes for data on population and deaths reported by the countries.
The open-ended age classes for data on population are the following: 85 and over (+), 90+, 95+, 99+ and 100+ with the exceptions:
Bulgaria: 80+ for the years 1994, 1995 and 1996
Cyprus: 80+ for the years 1990, 1991 and 1992
Turkey: 75+ for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011
Open-ended age class contains all the people aged more than the last single age for which a country can report. For example, if a country can provide data on its population by single year of age up to 94 years old, the 'open-ended age class' includes population aged 95 and over.
The statistical unit varies depending on the regional demography tables, as follows:
person - for all population data tables;
events - for vital events (live birth and death) data tables.
Total population of a region at a given NUTS level.
Total number of vital events in a region at a given NUTS level.
The population statistics are published by single country, by region and by aggregates of countries, as follows:
The Member States of the European Union are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden.
Regional refers to NUTS level 1, NUTS level 2 or NUTS level 3 as defined in the Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 and available according to the classification in force at the reference time. Where 'NUTS' is used in connection with countries that are not members of the European Union, 'regional' means the statistical regions at level 1, 2 or 3 as agreed between those countries and the European Commission (Eurostat), at the reference time.
Statistics from the UK are available only until the withdrawal of the country from the EU.
All countries with agreed regional breakdown send to Eurostat the data on population on 31 December in accordance with the Regulation (EU) No 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics. Eurostat publishes the population data as 1 January of the following year (reference year + 1). The reference period for vital events data is the calendar year in which the events occurred.
Not applicable.
Population, live births and deaths are expressed in absolute values.
Crude rates are expressed per 1000 of the average population.
Area (total, land) of a region is expressed in square kilometres.
Population density is expressed as persons per square kilometre.
Life expectancy at a given age, median age of the population, median age of the population, mean age- and median age- of the woman at childbirth are expressed in years.
Shares of various age groups of the population are expressed in percentages.
Eurostat calculates various demographic statistics and indicators for all regions of the countries and all aggregates using a common methodology.
DEMOGRAPHIC STATISTICS and INDICATORS
Population change is the difference between the size of the total population at the end and the beginning of a period.
Natural change is the difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during the year. The natural change (or natural decrease) is negative when the number of deaths exceeds the number of births. The natural change (or natural increase) is positive when the number of births exceeds the number of deaths.
Net migration and Net migration including statistical adjustments
Net migration is the difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants from a given region during the year (net migration is therefore negative when the number of emigrants exceeds the number of immigrants).
Net migration including statistical adjustments is a general estimation of the net migration based on the difference between population change and natural change between two dates (in the Eurostat database it is called net migration plus statistical adjustment). In different countries net migration including statistical adjustment may, besides the difference between inward and outward migration, cover other changes in the population figures between 1 January for two consecutive years which cannot be attributed to births, deaths, immigration or emigration.
Demographic balance is theequation that describes the change in the size of the population due to the flows of live births, deaths, immigration and emigration occured in the reference year T.
Population[T+1] = total population on 1 January of the year T+1;
Population[T] = total population on 1 January of the year T;
Births[T, T+1] = total number of live births occurred in the time interval T to T+1;
Deaths[T, T+1] = total number of deaths occurred in the time interval T to T+1;
Net Migration*[T, T+1] = net migration including statistical adjustment over the time interval T to T+1.
Crude rates
Crude rate of population change is the ratio of the total population change during the year to the average population of the area in question in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Crude rate of natural change is the ratio of natural change over a period to the average population of the area in question during that period. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Crude rate of net migration including statistical adjustment is the ratio of the net migration including statistical adjustment during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants. The crude rate of net migration is equal to the difference between the crude rate of population change and the crude rate of natural change (that is, net migration is considered as the part of population change not attributable to births and deaths). It is calculated in this way because immigration or emigration flows are either not available or the figures are not reliable.
Crude birth rate is the ratio of the total number of live births during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Crude death rate is the ratio of the total number of deaths during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.
Fertility indicators
Total fertility rate (TFR) is the mean number of children that would be born alive to a woman during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years conforming to the fertility rates by age of a given year.
Fertility rates by mother's age (Age-Specific Fertility Rate) is the number of births of mothers of age x to the average female population of age x.
Mean age of woman at childbirth is the mean age of woman when their children are born (live births).
Median age of woman at childbirth is the age that divides the population of mothers at childbirth in two numerically equal groups, meaning half of the mothers are younger than the median age and half are older.
Eurostat uses the concept of 'age completed' when calculating fertility indicators.
Mortality indicators
Infant mortality rate is the ratio of the total number of deaths of children under one year of age during the year to the number of live births in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 live births.
Life expectancyat given exact age is the mean number of years still to be lived by a person who has reached a certain exact age, if subjected throughout the rest of his or her life to the current mortality conditions (age-specific probabilities of dying).
Life table is one of the most important and most widely used devices in demography, summarizing various aspects of the variation of mortality with age and showing, for each age, the probability that a person of that age will die before his next birthday. Functions pertaining to mortality are available in distinct tables: age specific death rates, probabilities of dying between exact ages, probability of surviving between exact ages, number left alive at a given exact age, number dying between exact ages, person-years lived between exact ages, total person-years lived above given exact age and life expectancy at given exact age.
Eurostat uses the concept of 'age completed' when calculating mortality indicators by age.
Age dependency ratios
Young age dependency ratio is the ratio of the persons aged 0-14 (1st variant) or 0-19 (2nd variant) or 0-19 (3rd variant) or 0-24 (4th variant) divided by the number of persons conventionally considered of working age (respectively 15-64 (1st variant) or 20-59 (2nd variant) or 20-64 (3rd variant) or 25-64 (4th variant)).
Old age dependency ratio is the number of persons of an age when they are conventionally considered economically inactive (65 years and over (1st variant) or 60 years and over (2nd variant) or 65 years and over (3rd variant) or 65 years and over (4th variant)) to the number of persons conventionally considered of working age (15-64 (1st variant) or 20-59 (2nd variant) or 20-64 (3rd variant) or 25-64 (4th variant)).
The total age dependency ratio is the sum of the young and old age dependency ratios.
Median age of population is the age that divides a population into two numerically equal groups, meaning half the people are younger than the median age and half are older.
Population density is the ratio of the (annual average) population of a region to the (land) area of the region; total area (including inland waters) is used when land area is not available.
Data are provided by the National Statistical Institutes. Most of the data are administrative data and registered data. Some countries might provide estimated data based on population census or national population projections, depending on the national calendar of data availability.
Data are published annually and whenever revised data are sent to Eurostat.
The regional demographic data are usually disseminated within 15 months after the end of the reference year, for both NUTS 2 and 3 levels.
The reference year is the calendar year for which data on vital events (live births and deaths) are transmitted to Eurostat.
The reference date for population data is the end of the reference period (midnight of 31 December).
The recommended definition of the 'population' for the statistics on population reported under Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1260/2013 and under Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 862/2007 is the 'usually resident population' meaning all the persons having their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time. Where the circumstances described above cannot be established, 'usual residence' can be taken to mean the place of legal or registered residence.
Summary with the reported reference populations based on which statistics on population, births and deaths are transmitted by the National Statistical Institutes to Eurostat. Several countries place themselves in two categories, with justification in the national metadata files.
Usually Resident Population([1]): BE, BG, CZ[4], CY, DE, EE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, HU, IE, LT, LV, MT, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK[5], RS, UK.
Registered Residence Population([3]): AT, CZ, DE, DK, ES, IS, IT, LU, NL, NO, SE, TR.
Other: –
[1] 'Usually Resident Population' as stated in Article 2 of Regulation 1260/2013.
[2] 'Legal Residence Population' is composed of those persons who are entitled to be settled in the country at the reference date, either by holding the national citizenship or by other authorization issued by national authorities.
[3] 'Registered Residence Population' is composed of those persons who are listed on one or more registers owned by national authorities at the reference date. Each registered person shall be counted only once.
Comparability over time could be affected by breaks in data series due to methodological changes, data processing changes or revisions in data figures reported by the countries. These breaks in series are documented in Eurostat’s database with the flag b (break in series).
The population data for the year 2021 and after take into account the results of the latest population census (held in 2021-2022). Following Eurostat’s recommendations to ensure consistency of statistics over time, several Member States (Bulgaria, Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Portugal) have revised their population time series between the reference years of the population and housing censuses held in 2011 and 2021. While this work was spread over time, revisions were transmitted and released in 2024 (for more information about data revision per country, see also 17. Data revision). While the processing of population revisons is ongoing, it may happen that EU aggregates are not fully syncronised with the corresponding sum of countries.
Over time, there have been geographical changes for certain countries, as seen in notes by country:
The time series for Germany (DE) refer to the Federal Republic within its frontiers after 3 October 1990.
The time series for France (FR) includes the overseas departments (DOM) starting with the year 1998. From 1990 until 1997 data refer to France metropolitan (mainland). Data on Saint Barthelemy are excluded starting with 1 January 2012. Data on Mayotte are included starting with the statistics on vital events for the reference year 2014 and with the statistics on population on 1 January 2015.
Data for Cyprus (CY) refer to the government-controlled area.
For Romania (RO), until 1997 region "Ilfov" was not a separate NUTS, but a special entity, the so-called “Ilfov agricultural sector”, subordinated to the municipality of Bucharest. Therefore, for the years 1995 and 1996, the data for what will become RO322 in 1997, are included in RO321 (since, at that time, this was the administrative organization of the Romanian territory).
Up to 2000, population data for Malta (MT) refer to the Maltese population only, but since 2001 the figures include also foreign residents. This is indicated by a flag b (break in series) in the figures for 2001.
Since 2010, permanent resident population data of Switzerland (CH) includes all persons in the asylum process who have been residing in Switzerland for 12 months or more. The change appears in Eurostat population figures starting with population reported for 1 January 2011.
In 2010 Poland (PL) revised the methodology used to estimate the usual resident population. This is indicated by a flag b (break in series) in the figures for 2010.
Since 1 January 2011 Belgium (BE) population figures refer to all registered persons including asylum seekers.
Since 1 January 2012 the reported Estonian (EE) population includes the migration component whereas this was not included before.
Whenever a NUTS classification changes, the countries concerned are invited to transmit the historical time series for the new regional breakdown. For more information please see the NUTS dedicated pages.
