Frequently asked questions
What is a
register-based census?
A
register-based census is a modern way of conducting a census in which data are
collected with a different methodology than has been used in previous censuses.
The data for the 2011 register-based census will not be collected in a
traditional way, with numerous enumerators collecting data with fieldwork. A lot
of information on population, households and dwellings is collected and compiled
namely in various registers, files and databases. These data will be linked
together so people won't be asked the same questions again. That is why the 2011
census in Slovenia
is called a register-based census.
Who conducts the census?
The 2011 Register-based Census in Slovenia is conducted by the Statistical Office of Slovenia with its human resources, i.e.
without any employment of additional interviewers.Poslušajte
Is the census conducted in
Slovenia
only?
No, censuses
are carried out all over the world, not only in Slovenia. For many
countries in the world censuses are the only source of information on the
population in the country. Each country is free to decide when the census will
be conducted, it is only important that it takes place around 2010. More on this
topic can be found on the
website of the UN, which as an umbrella organization
prepares guidelines and recommendations regarding the content of the data
collected.
Slovenia is obliged to conduct a census of households and dwellings. One of the
legal bases is the Regulation on Censuses of the European Union – according to
this regulation all the Member States of the European Union need to collect data
on specific topics and have to report the results to Eurostat, the Statistical
Office of the European Union. A set of minimum but obligatory topics is stated
in the regulation although each country may also collect other data. When census
data of all Member States of the European Union are collected, not only the
demographic picture of individual countries will be known, but also the portrait
of the entire European Union.
When was the
last census conducted in Slovenia?
The last census in
Slovenia
was conducted in 2002. At that time, the data on households and families, on
education of the total population, on housing and some information about
migrants were collected for the last time.
When will Register-based Census 2011 data be available?
This census
differs from previous censuses also in data publishing. In previous censuses,
all data were published at once. In the register-based census this is no longer
possible, since data from different sources are not all accessible at the same
time. Therefore, the data will be published step by step; however, they will be
available sooner than this was the case in previous censuses. The exact dates
will be posted on the website under “Release dates”.
The
first data will be published on 29 April 2011. This will be the information on
the number and age-sex structure of the population of Slovenia – these data
would be published anyway. In addition, also data on the citizenship of
population.
The data on households and families are planed to be published on 30 September
2011 at the latest – these data have always been collected with censuses only
and are highly sought by our users.
By the end of
2011, data on education and economic characteristics as well as data on
migration and housing are planed to be published.
When will the
census take place?
The census reference date is 1 January 2011
at midnight. Children who will be born a minute later will not be counted among
the population of Slovenia. A person who
will die a minute after the census reference date will, on the other hand, be
counted among the population of Slovenia.
What are the
advantages of a register-based method?
The main advantages are significant budget
savings and no burden for people providing the data. One of the advantages is also
that they can be carried out more frequently
than
every 10 years.
Will data on nationality / ethnicity and
religion be collected in the Register-based Census?
In
Slovenia, the data on nationality / ethnicity
and religion will no longer be collected with the censuses. Because the
administrative sources don’t provide data on nationality / ethnicity for the
entire population and because data on religion are not even available in
administrative sources, these topics are not the content of the Register-based
2011 Census. Data on nationality / ethnicity are not obligatory topics, although
countries are allowed to collect with population censuses or within their
capabilities other data too.
How can I
declare my nationality / ethnicity?
Collection of data on ethnic affiliation is
defined by Article 7 of the Residence Registration Act: it stipulates that
nationality is one of the data that might be declared at the registration or
deregistration of residence and change of address. People declare their
nationality to the competent authority only if they want to; the authority that
conducts the procedure must remind them that they are not obliged to answer this
question. Data are collected with the form “Registration/deregistration of
permanent residence”, which must be filled in at registration of address in
Slovenia, at immigration to or emigration from Slovenia, and at registration of first
address of newborns.
In short:
- data on nationality in Slovenia
will no longer be collected with the censuses;
- in previous censuses the Statistical Office
had never checked the declared nationality of an individual; the data were only
collected and published as statistical aggregates;
- to obtain additional information about the
possibility of declaring nationality / ethnicity, please contact any
administrative unit, the department responsible for internal administrative
matters.Poslušajte
Can I sign up
for an interviewer?
No
interviewers are needed in this census. The census is not organized as a
fieldwork but it will be conducted only by linking already collected data.
Will / do census data on population differ
from data on population that are published regularly?
Data collected in previous censuses differed from the data published in regular
publications due to different methodology of data collection. In the 2011
Register-based Census the data on population will be prepared in the same way
and using the same methodology as data published in regular quarterly population
statistics four times a year. Data on population on 1 January 2011 are data
of the 2011 Register-based Census also.