Session 3 The population registers in Germany – the main data source in the 2011 Census UNECE-Eurostat Expert Group Meeting on Censuses Using Registers Stephanie Hirner, Census Division Federal Statistical Office of Germany

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 2 - Census model in Germany Linking and checks for multiple registration Result: data records typical of the census Data collection for special facilities 2 million persons Supplementary sample survey max. 10% of the population Employment registers 35 million data records Population registers 88 million data records Census of buildings and housing 17.5 million owners of buildings/dwellings Clarification of implausible cases Overcoverage/ undercoverage Variable integration Household generating procedure 38.5 million households Correction of register errors Steering file – Register of addresses and buildings

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 3 - Population registers in the 2011 Census Function One of the data sources for the build-up of the register of addresses and buildings Supporting of primary data surveys Main data source to cover the demographic and geographical census variables

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 4 - Population registers in the 2011 Census Data acquisition and integration Data acquisition  Decentralised via the statistical offices of the Länder  Two supplies around the census reference date Integration  Linking of the information on addresses  Adding personal data records via the address-ID Build-up of a temporary centralised population register for Germany

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 5 - Population registers in the 2011 Census Quality assurance Correction of the data stock  Check for incorrect registration  Correction via questionnaire and an automatic process Correction via the sample survey  Identification of overcoverage and undercoverage  Extrapolation of the results and statistical correction Correction only for statistical purposes

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 6 - Reference data stock Combination of data sets on addresses and on population Steering function in the 2011 Census  Completion of variables  Correction of data sets  Consolidation of the different data sources  Coordination of information

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 7 - Conclusion Benefits of using registers  Area-wide information  Access and availability Challenges of using registers  Decentralised keeping of data  Differences in data quality between registers  No uniform identifier for persons or dwellings  Federal data stock for coordination and consolidation is necessary!

May 12Federal Statistical Office, Germany- 8 -