Population and Housing Census 2011

The aim of the Population and Housing Census is to obtain comprehensive and credible information on population number, composition, activity status, migration, as well as to acquire data on housings in country as a whole and in each administrative territory separately.

Population and Housing Census practically is the only method allowing obtaining comprehensive data on population, families and housings thereof in as small territorial breakdown as possible – on each county and city, as well as on inhabited rural areas (parishes).

• Resident population of Latvia, housings and private household.

1. Resident population of Latvia covers persons who:
   1. have been living in Latvia territory for at least 12 months before the start of the Population and Housing Census (01.03.2011);
   2. have arrived to Latvia territory within 12 months before the start of the Population and Housing Census with an aim to spend here at least one year.
2. Housing – structurally separate and independent premises designed for permanent human habitation, or premises not designed for habitation, but used as place of usual residence during Census.
3. Household – several persons living in one dwelling and sharing expenditures or one person having separate housekeeping.

Population and Housing Census of Latvia is conducted within the framework of UN World Population and Housing Census and is organised in compliance with the Regulation (EC) No 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 July 2008 on population and housing censuses as well as with Law on Population Census.

Statistical database

Data on population and housing census in EU-27 are published in Eurostat website, section Population.

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Full-scope survey allows acquiring data on resident population of Latvia, housings and private household.

Population and Housing Census data sources:

• CSB questionnaire TS 2011-housing "Population and Housing Census 2011. Housing Questionnaire";
• CSB questionnaire TS 2011-person "Population and Housing Census 2011. Person Questionnaire";
• Data of the Population Register of the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs;
• Pupil database of the Ministry of Education and Science;
• Register on unemployed persons of the State Employment Agency;
• Data of the cities under state jurisdiction and countries from social aid and services administration databases;
• State Revenue Service data on taxpayers and self-employed persons;
• State Health Service information on recipients of medical services paid by State;
• Latvian Council of Science data on doctorate holders;
• State Social Insurance Agency information on retired persons and recipients of social services;
• State Land Service Real Estate State Cadastre Information System and State Address Register.

The first stage of the Population and Housing Census took place from 1 to 12 March 2011, when residents for the first time were able to fill in the questionnaires on the Internet, using identity code and passport number, Internet bank identifiers of five banks and e-signature. On 3 March 2011, first authentication was discontinued. Within the first stage, homeless people in night shelters were registered. Moreover data were acquired on 32% of the total population and on 17% of the total dwelling number during this stage of Population and Housing Census.

The second stage of the Census took place from March 17 to May 31, and then Ltd "GfK Custom Research Baltic" interviewers visited residents at their homes. Within the second stage of the Population and Housing Census information was obtained on 83% of the persons and 97% of dwellings included in the interviewer lists. The quality of the obtained data was controlled in all 1960 Census Areas and during the whole Census period 3% of the work done by each interviewer were checked. The quality control verified more than 26 thousand addresses.

Considering the high interest of the population and its willingness to fill in the questionnaires on the Internet, the CSB from 1 to 10 June 2011 organised the third stage of the Population and Housing Census, in which residents, which did not take part in the first and second stage of the Census, had an opportunity to fill in the Census questionnaires on the Internet or to visit one of 37 regional management and coordination centres to fill in the questionnaires.

Additional stage: revision of the number of Latvia resident population by using criteria developed by the CSB and accepted by the Population and Housing Census Commission that are based on information available in administrative data sources. 

Target population

1. Resident population of Latvia covers persons who:
   1. have been living in Latvia territory for at least 12 months before the start of the Population and Housing Census (01.03.2011);
   2. have arrived to Latvia territory within 12 months before the start of the Population and Housing Census with an aim to spend here at least one year.
2. Housing – structurally separate and independent premises designed for permanent human habitation, or premises not designed for habitation, but used as place of usual residence during Census.
3. Household – several persons living in one dwelling and sharing expenditures or one person having separate housekeeping.

Population and Housing Census data did not include persons who:

1. have declared their place of usual residence in Latvia, but are living abroad for more than 12 months;
2. have arrived to country during the time period not exceeding 12 months before start of the Population and Housing Census, are living in Latvia and are not planning to stay here for more than 12 months;
3. have born on 1 March 2011 or later;
4. have died before 1 March 2011;
5. foreign military, sea forces and diplomatic personnel forces and their family members thereof residing in the country;
6. tourists.

Information on persons registered with the Population Register, but not met during the Census was obtained from administrative registers. Resident population of Latvia were all persons meeting following criteria:

1. person aged 0–17, if from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2011 he/she has been registered with the State Social Insurance Agency pension data, Health Payment Center data, local government data or data of the Ministry of Education and Science;
2. person aged 18–61, if from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2011 he/she has been registered with the State Revenue Service employee databases for at least two months or with the Health Payment Center database at least twice, or at least once with other registers used – State Revenue Service self-employed database, Ministry of Welfare State Employment Service database, State Social Insurance Agency database or local government data base;
3. person aged 62 and over, if from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2011 he/she has been registered with the State Social Insurance Agency pension or social service data, Health Payment Center or local government data.