Census developments in the Netherlands Luuk Schreven Centre for Policy Related Statistics Statistics Netherlands

Presentation Census history Virtual census developments Data availability

Censuses 1795 – 1889 Year Census 1795 1st integral Dutch population census (French rule) 1829 1st general population census (Royal Decree 1828) 1839 2nd general population census 1849 3rd general population census 1859 4th general population census 1869 5th general population census 1879 6th general population census (Census Act 1879) 1889 7th general population and occupation census

Censuses 1899 – 1971 Year Census 1899 8th general population, occupation and housing census (1st by Statistics Netherlands) 1909 9th general population, occupation and housing census 1920 10th general population, occupation and housing (1919) census 1930 11th general population, occupation and housing census 1947 12th general population, occupation and housing census 1956 Housing census 1960 13th population census 1971 14th general population, occupation and housing census (Census Act 1970)

Main census objectives To determine the size of the population on a fixed point in time (statistic objective) To prove the reliability of the population registers (administrative objective) To examine the demographic and social-economic characteristics of the population (social objective)

1971 last traditional census Deep scars left by World War 2 Fear of an all-knowing government (Big Brother) Fear of computers/computerised records Results: Public protest against the census Media attention Political pressure on Statistics Netherlands

Census methods after 1971 Year Method 1981 Register count of Population and housing; survey Labour force and housing needs 1991 Register count of Population; survey Labour force and housing needs 2001 Virtual population census

Developments in data collection Until 1950s integral surveys From 1950s to mid 1990s sample surveys From mid 1990s integral digital registers Recently integration of registers & sample surveys into Social Statistical Database

Virtual census 2001 Using available data: Integral register data from Social Statistical Database: Population & housing register (municipalities), fiscal & employment data (tax authorities) Combined with sample survey data: Labour force survey Integration of results using method of repeated weighting Publication: Eric Schulte Nordholt, Marijke Hartgers and Rita Gircour (ed), The Dutch Virtual Census of 2001. Analysis and Methodology (Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen, 2004)

Virtual census 2011 More European countries working with method of virtual census: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Austria, Slovenia and Norway Costs of census Virtual census € 1,5 million (€ 0,09 p.p.) 10% census sample € 150 million (€ 9 p.p.) Traditional census € 300 million (€ 18 p.p.) Germany (10% sample) € 1 billion (€ 12 p.p.) US USD 15 billion (USD 50 p.p.) Preparations ongoing, first results expected from 2013 onwards

Data availability Historical census data: Aggregate data www.volkstellingen.nl/en/ Public use files: 1% sample of 1960, 1971 and 2001 census microdata Data Archiving & Networked Services IPUMS-international (Minnesota Population Center)

Microdata services Statistics Netherlands On site & remote access to microdata All complete microdata sets available at Statistics Netherlands 1200 documented datasets Sample surveys & government registers Microdata sets can be combined

Who can access microdata? Statistics Netherlands Act states: Dutch universities Some policy-planning institutes of the central government European statistical institutes and Eurostat Others only with permission from CCS: Legal corporate status No administrative authority Research aim Publishing for the public use

Use of microdata Remote Access: On Site: 50 computers 129 current research projects approx. 300 active researchers Italy, Germany, US (Columbia University) On Site: 14 computers 57 current research projects approx. 100 active researchers OS

Working with confidential data Technical infrastructure, data remain at Statistics Netherlands Legal contract with researcher & institute Confidentiality statement researcher Smartcard & Fingerprint ID Output checking by Statistics Netherlands Researchers remain responsible for results

Costs? Not free of charge Statistics Netherlands charges costs: Administrative costs Documentation costs Infrastructure costs Non-profit basis

More information Historical censusdata (aggregates): www.volkstellingen.nl/en/ Integral current microdata: www.cbs.nl/cvb → click English cvb@cbs.nl