- Methods and Projects
- Standards and Classifications
Standardised Methodological Report
Censo de Población
- 1Contact
- 1.1Contact organisation
National Statistics Institute of Spain
- 1.5Contact mail address
Avenida de Manoteras 50-52 - 28050 Madrid
- 1.1Contact organisation
- 2Metadata update
- 2.1Metadata last certified
15/04/2025
- 2.2Metadata last posted
25/04/2024
- 2.3Metadata last update
15/04/2025
- 2.1Metadata last certified
- 3Statistical presentation
- 3.1Data description
The Annual Population Census is a statistical operation whose objectives are:
- Counting the population.
The Annual Population Census determines the official population figures for statistical purposes of Spain and all its administrative divisions (the autonomous communities, provinces, municipalities and even census districts and sections) on 1 January every year. This operation is aimed at people who live in homes (whether conventional family homes or accommodation) or in collective establishments (hotels, retirement homes, nursing homes, etc.).
- Knowledge of the structure and characteristics of the population.
The Annual Population Census counts not only the number of inhabitants but investigates, for each of them, a series of demographic, cultural, economic and social characteristics and provides a snapshot of the population structure.
The Annual Population Census also serves to meet the statistical needs of the international sphere. International organisations request information from countries to compile their demographic and social statistics, and Censuses are one of the main sources used.
It should be noted that since the publication of the 2021 Population and Housing Censuses, there has been a paradigm shift in demographic statistics, since the methodology used in the 2021 census, based for the first time entirely on the exploitation of administrative records, allows the process to be replicated every year to provide annual population censuses. Therefore, the main new methodological feature of this new operation "Annual Population Censuses" is that its preparation is based, fundamentally, on the use of official administrative records and consequently allows the production of census information each year.
Broadly speaking, it can be said that data from the Municipal Register is integrated with official administrative sources of a labour, educational, tax, immigration nature, etc. provided by various agencies of the Public Administration, so that, from the information contained in the various registers, all the variables that would be studied in a classic census can be constructed through a direct collection of questionnaires from households.
- 3.2Classification system
- Clasificaciones utilizadas
Lists are used from the autonomous communities, provinces, municipalities, islands and countries of nationality and birth, in accordance with the INE's standards.
The Annual Population Census also uses the following classifications:
- Occupation: National occupations classification CNO-11
- Economic activity: National Classification of Economic Activities CNAE-09
- Level of education and ongoing studies: twelve categories based on the Classification of Programmes, Qualifications and Certifications by Levels of Education AchievedCNED-A.
- Type of Ongoing Studies: ten categories of the classification of programs and degrees in study sectors CNED-F.
- Clasificaciones utilizadas
- 3.3Sector coverage
The operation is part of the "demography and population" sector.
- 3.4Statistical concepts and definitions
- Age
Age in years refers to the number of birthdays reached by the reference date, in other words, the age last birthday.
- Citizenship
Citizenship is defined as the particular legal bond between an individual and his/her State,, acquired by birth or naturalisation, whether by declaration, option, marriage or other means according to the national legislation.
- Place of birth
Place where a person was born, in other words, the place of habitual residence of the mother at the time of birth, determined on the date of collecting data.
- Regular residence according to Municipal Register
Place where a person normally spends his or her daily rest period, regardless of temporary absences for leisure purposes, holidays, visiting friends or relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage.
- Resident population
The population resident in a given geographical scope is defined as those persons who, on the reference date, have established their usual residence therein.
- Sex
Sex refers to the biological sex of the person. According to the WHO, "sex" refers to biological and physiological features defining to men and women, whereas "gender" refers to the roles, behaviour, activities and attributes constructed socially that a specific culture regards as appropriate for men and women. In accordance with this description, the WHO regards "man" and "woman" as sex categories, whereas "male" and "female" are gender categories.
- Age
- 3.5Statistical unit
People resident in Spain
- 3.6Statistical population
The Annual Population Census scope includes people, of any nationality, who have established their habitual residence in the national territory
- 3.7Reference area
The operation encompasses the entire national territory. Data are published at the national level, by Autonomous Community, province, islands, municipalities and census sections.
- 3.8Time coverage
Strictly speaking, the statistical series of the Population Census operation begins on 1 January 2022.
However, the results of the operation show data for 2021, for better comparability and analysis, as they are based on the same methodology, despite the fact that the 2021 census belongs to the Population and Housing Census operation, being the last decennial census.
- 3.9Base period
1 January 2022.
The same comment as above would apply here: annual population censuses start in 2022, but could be considered to start in 2021.
Some particular variables may have specific reference periods. Thus, the variables related to the labour market will refer to the week prior to the reference date (the last week of 2020).
- 3.1Data description
- 4Unit of measure
- 4.1Unit of measure
Number of people.
- 4.1Unit of measure
- 5Reference period
- 5.1Reference period
1 January each year
- 5.1Reference period
- 6Institutional mandate
- 6.1Legal acts and other agreements
The compilation and dissemination of the data are governed by the Statistical Law No. 12/1989 "Public Statistical Function" of May 9, 1989, and Law No. 4/1990 of June 29 on “National Budget of State for the year 1990" amended by Law No. 13/1996 "Fiscal, administrative and social measures" of December 30, 1996, makes compulsory all statistics included in the National Statistics Plan. The National Statistical Plan 2009-2012 was approved by the Royal Decree 1663/2008. It contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All statistics included in the National Statistics Plan are statistics for state purposes and are obligatory. The National Statistics Plan 2025-2028, approved by Royal Decree 1525/2024, of 3 December, is the Plan currently implemented. This statistical operation has governmental purposes, and it is included in the National Statistics Plan 2025-2028. (Statistics of the State Administration).
The compilation, processing and dissemination of the data of statistical operations are governed by the Law 12/1989, of May 9, 1989, on the "Public Statistical Function" (LFEP), and in the Fourth Additional Provision of the Law 4/1990 of 29 June. The LFEP establishes that the National Statistics Plan is the main organising instrument of the State Administration's statistical activity and it contains the statistics that must be developed in the four year period by the State General Administration's services or any other entity dependent on it. All the statistics included in the National Statistical Plan are statistics for state purposes and are mandatory. The National Statistics Plan 2025-2028, approved by Royal Decree 1110/2020, of 15 December, is the plan currently in force. This operation is a statistic for state purposes and is included in that National Statistics Plan.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census was subject to Regulation 763/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (together with others that implement it), in addition to fulfilling the obligation to carry out the Census every ten years.
However, the annual population censuses, despite continuing with the methodology of the Census of Population and Dwellings 2021 for comparability, are subject to the Regulation of Regulation 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics.
- 6.2Data sharing
The exchanges of information needed to elaborate statistics between the INE and the rest of the State statistical offices (Ministerial Departments, independent bodies and administrative bodies depending on the State General Administration), or between these offices and the Autonomic statistical offices, are regulated in the LFEP (Law of the Public Statistic Function). This law also regulates the mechanisms of statistical coordination, and concludes cooperation agreements between the different offices when necessary.
Due to the magnitude of the operation, there are dozens of institutions that, with varying degrees of participation, collaborate or provide information to prepare the Censuses.
In addition to the Statistical Offices of the Autonomous Communities, only those units that submit official administrative records to the INE stand out in this list, although in some cases, to do so, they must compile them from other sources.
- State Tax Administration Agency (AEAT)
-Provincial Ministries of Finance of Alava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa)
- Tax Office of Navarre
- Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration (General Treasury of Social Security, National Institute of Social Security)
- Ministry of Labour and Social Economy (SEPE)
- Ministery of Justice. (MUGEJU, D.G.Registries and Notaries)
- Ministry of Finance (DG Cadastre)
- Ministry of Territorial Policy and Public Function (MUFACE)
- Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
- Ministry of Universities
- Ministry of Defence (ISFAS)
- Ministry of the Interior (D.G. Police)
- 6.1Legal acts and other agreements
- 7Confidentiality
- 7.1Confidentiality - policy
The Statistical Law No. 12/1989 specifies that the INE cannot publish, or make otherwise available, individual data or statistics that would enable the identification of data for any individual person or entity. Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 on European statistics 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
- 7.2Confidentiality - data treatment
INE provides information on the protection of confidentiality at all stages of the statistical process: INE questionnaires for the operations in the national statistical plan include a legal clause protecting data under statistical confidentiality. Notices prior to data collection announcing a statistical operation notify respondents that data are subject to statistical confidentiality at all stages. For data processing, INE employees have available the INE data protection handbook, which specifies the steps that should be taken at each stage of processing to ensure reporting units' individual data are protected. The microdata files provided to users are anonymised.
The INE takes the necessary logical, physical and administrative measures to ensure there is effective protection of confidential data, from data collection to publication.
In the information processing phases, data that provide direct identification are only kept as long as they are strictly necessary to guarantee the quality of the processes.
In the publication of the results tables, the details of the information are analysed to prevent confidential data from being deduced from the statistical units.
The microdata files are always anonymised.
Moreover, all statistical personnel will have the obligation to preserve statistical secrecy (art. 17.1 of the LPSF).
- 7.1Confidentiality - policy
- 8Release policy
- 8.1Release calendar
The advance release calendar that shows the precise release dates for the coming year is disseminated in the last quarter of each year.
- 8.2Release calendar access
The calendar is disseminated on the INEs Internet website (Publications Calendar)
- 8.3User access
The data are released simultaneously according to the advance release calendar to all interested parties by issuing the press release. At the same time, the data are posted on the INE's Internet website (www.ine.es/en) almost immediately after the press release is issued. Also some predefined tailor-made requests are sent to registered users. Some users could receive partial information under embargo as it is publicly described in the European Statistics Code of Practice
- 8.1Release calendar
- 9Frequency of dissemination
- 9.1Frequency of dissemination
Annual.
- 9.1Frequency of dissemination
- 10Accessibility and clarity
- 10.1News release
The results of the statistical operations are normally disseminated by using press releases that can be accessed via both the corresponding menu and the Press Releases Section in the web
- 10.2Publications
All the information related to this operation can be accessed via the relevant link on the INE website:
- 10.3On-line database
INEbase is the system the INE uses to store statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information the INE produces in electronic formats. The primary organisation of the information follows the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration . The basic unit of INEbase is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector or subject based on the individually collected data. Also included in the scope of this definition are synthesis preparation.
INEbase is the system the INE uses to store and publish statistical information on the Internet. It contains all the information that the INE produces in electronic format. It is organised by basically following the theme-based classification of the Inventory of Statistical Operations of the State General Administration. The basic unit is the statistical operation, defined as the set of activities that lead to obtaining statistical results on a determined sector, topic or territory.
The results and documentation related to this operation are available for consultation at:
- 10.4Micro-data access
A lot of statistical operations disseminate public domain anonymized files, available free of charge for downloading in the INE website Microdata Section
Files for public use with non-identifiable (anonymised) microdata will be available free of charge on the INE website.
Users will also be able to request anonymised data files with more detailed information under strict confidentiality conditions. The request is made via the User Assistance Service:
https://www.ine.es/prodyser/informacion - 10.5Other
This operation makes it possible to respond to requests for customized information that are not covered in its results tables, subject in all cases to a feasibility study by the INE.
Requests can be made through the Information Area:
- 10.6Documentation on methodology
The methodology of the operation will be available on the INE website, in the "Methodology"section:
https://www.ine.es/metodologia/t20/meto_censo_poblacion_anual.pdf
The metadata has been fully completed, i.e. AC3=100%.
- 10.7Quality documentation
The information contained in sections 10.6 to 17 of this document can be considered to be the user-oriented quality report for this operation.
- 10.1News release
- 11Quality management
- 11.1Quality assurance
Quality assurance framework for the INE statistics is based on the ESSCoP, the European Statistics Code of Practice made by EUROSTAT. The ESSCoP is made up of 16 principles, gathered in three areas: Institutional Environment, Processes and Products. Each principle is associated with some indicators which make possible to measure it. In order to evaluate quality, EUROSTAT provides different tools: the indicators mentioned above, Self-assessment based on the DESAP model, peer review, user satisfaction surveys and other proceedings for evaluation.
The preparatory work for the 2021 census began after the publication of the 2011 census, which has allowed successive "tests" to be completed over the years, in the form of pre-census files, which contributed to ensuring the quality of the process and the results.
The 2021 Population and Housing Census, as well as the current annual Population Censuses, is based on a maximum use of the available administrative records: broadly speaking, it can be said that data from the Register are integrated with administrative sources of a labor, educational, tax, immigration nature... In this way, from the different registers, almost all the variables that were studied in previous censuses can be constructed.
Over the years, a thorough analysis has been made of the available official administrative sources, the quality of their content and their fit with census objectives. The conclusion that was drawn is that much more information is available and of much higher quality than was anticipated at the beginning of the analysis and that almost all of the information contained in the questionnaires used in the classic ten-year censuses can certainly be constructed from administrative records. This already means a first improvement of quality with respect to previous censuses.
To undertake the cross-referencing of official administrative records, it has previously been verified that the vast majority of files have quality identifiers that allow links to be made between the different sources with a percentage of reliability of close to 100%.The minimum information requirements to be provided, as determined by the EU Census Regulation, are more than met for all variables. It may, however, be necessary to supplement the information with statistical imputation procedures in certain cases, but to a much lesser extent than is used in classic censuses.
- 11.2Quality assessment
The methodology used to produce the Population Censuses, based on the almost exclusive use of official administrative records, eliminates, or at least attenuates, some of the most important disadvantages of a census based on the direct collection of data by citizens, such as:
-The questionnaire respondent does not always know all the answers. Often it is someone else who responds on their behalf; this is known as a proxy or indirect informant. This person may not know some detailed questions (such as those related to economic variables).
- Results based on self-classification (occupation, relationship with activity) often do not reflect reality well.
- The questionnaire is difficult for many respondents to fill in, leading to errors of all kinds or incomplete information.
- Systematic difficulty finding certain types of people. For example, there is a part of the foreign population that is always difficult to reach in the census.
The process of collecting the statistics has controls in place to detect and correct errors in order to ensure their quality.
- 11.1Quality assurance
- 12Relevance
- 12.1User needs
Among the users of this operation one can highlight:
- Ministries and other national public bodies (CSIC, CED, observatories, etc...) and international bodies (Eurostat, OECD, the United Nations, IMF).
- Regional administrations (autonomous communities, provincial councils, city and town councils, etc.)
- Researchers and academia
- Non-profit companies and institutions (business research services, foundations, associations, etc.)
- Press and specialised media
- Individuals
- Other units of the INE
Each of these users has different needs depending on the use and utility of the information they need.
The most popular topics are those related to the numbers and structure of the population, as well as the economic activity (occupation, activity of the establishment, professional situation), and the studies carried out or in progress.
- 12.2User satisfaction
The INE has carried out general user satisfaction surveys in 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 and it plans to continue doing so every three years. The purpose of these surveys is to find out what users think about the quality of the information of the INE statistics and the extent to which their needs of information are covered. In addition, additional surveys are carried out in order to acknowledge better other fields such as dissemination of the information, quality of some publications...
On the INE website, in its section Methods and Projects / Quality and Code of Practice / INE quality management / User surveys are available surveys conducted to date.(Click next link)
- 12.3Completeness
The Population Census provides all the requirements established in the national and international regulations related to demographic censuses. The rate of mandatory results available is therefore 100% (R1=100%).
- 12.1User needs
- 13Accuracy and reliability
- 13.1Overall accuracy
No measurements are available of the accuracy of the results of this operation. However, this operation is prepared on the basis of the information provided by the official administrative data of the Municipal Register and by other official administrative sources of a thematic nature (educational, labour, etc.), so the accuracy of its results depends on that of the sources of information used.
As the Annual Population Census is an operation based on administrative sources, there are no sampling errors. Non-sampling errors may arise both from the sources used and from the actual processing of the information in this operation, such as a certain delay in the arrival of the data or a certain lack of coverage in some sources. Direct measurement of accuracy in this case is not considered possible.
- 13.2Sampling error
Not applicable
- 13.3Non-sampling error
The Annual Population Census is a statistical operation based on data obtained from administrative sources (see section 18.1), therefore the non-sampling errors of this statistical operation will be those derived from said sources.
- 13.1Overall accuracy
- 14Timeliness and punctuality
- 14.1Timeliness
In December of year t, the first results, now definitive, are published at all geographical levels, offering the main demographic characteristics of the population whose reference date is 1 January of year t. In the following years, in April or December, updates of the thematic data are published.
TP2=11 months
- 14.2Punctuality
The dissemination of the data will be carried out according to the dates announced in the publication calendar.
This operation is disseminated within the period established in the INE's calendar of structural statistics (TP3=0; it is published without delay).
- 14.1Timeliness
- 15Coherence and Comparability
- 15.1Comparability - geographical
The methodology applied, the processing of the data and the system of filtering and imputation throughout the geographical area, guarantees the comparability of the results between the different administrative units. The results are completely consistent across territories, at all levels of disaggregation.
Moreover, the methodological adaptation to the European census regulations makes it possible to compare it with the other countries of the European Union that disseminate similar information. - 15.2Comparability - over time
The series starts on 1 January 2021 and the statistics data have been comparable since then.
CC2 = 4
- 15.3Coherence - cross domain
The very methodology on which the Population Census operation is based guarantees a very strong consistency with the census information, since it uses the Census as the main element of its construction. However, there may be significant differences in the lowest levels of territorial disaggregation (municipalities, sections) due to the different methods of counting the population.
In addition, the processes used in the processing of the different official administrative sources have been oriented to ensure the consistency of the results with those of other statistical operations.
The Annual Population Census is coincident and, therefore, coherent with the final results on 1 January of the Population Continuous Statistics.
- 15.4Coherence - internal
The data are completely consistent between territories and demographically.
- 15.1Comparability - geographical
- 16Cost and burden
- 16.1Cost and burden
As the census operation does not require any field operation, the costs refer mainly to human resources employed in the INE's Central Services and to the IT infrastructure for development and dissemination.
The estimated budgetary credit required to finance this operation as planned in the 2025 Annual Program of the 2025-2028 National Statistical Plan, is 4,508.71 thousand euros.
- 16.1Cost and burden
- 17Data revision
- 17.1Data revision - policy
The INE of Spain has a policy which regulates the basic aspects of statistical data revision, seeking to ensure process transparency and product quality. This policy is laid out in the document approved by the INE board of directors on 13 March of 2015, which is available on the INE website, in the section "Methods and projects/Quality and Code of Practice/INE’s Quality management/INE’s Revision policy" (link).
This general policy sets the criteria that the different type of revisions should follow: routine revision- it is the case of statistics whose production process includes regular revisions-; more extensive revision- when methodological or basic reference source changes take place-; and exceptional revision- for instance, when an error appears in a published statistic-.
The data published are final and are not subject to revision.
- 17.2Data revision - practice
The Census data are final from the moment of their official publication.
- 17.1Data revision - policy
- 18Statistical processing
- 18.1Source data
The sources used for the construction of the annual population census are:
- Population Register: starting source for the construction of the census.
On this ‘skeleton’, other sources are used with a double purpose:
- To apply the signs of life or presence method to determine which persons reside in Spain on the census date.
- To construct a series of variables that characterise the population.
The sources used to apply the signs of life method are contained in the total of sources used for the calculation of descriptive variables, so we classify them by blocks of variables:
- Labour Variables (Relationship with Activity, Occupation, Professional Situation, Economic Activity):
- Current Members and new memberships of the Social Security system
- Job seekers of the SEPE
- Pensioners and pensions of the INSS (National Social Security Institute)
- SEPE (Spanish civil service) contracts
- Mutual societies (ISFAS, MUFACE, MUGEJU)
- Health Assurance Database (BADAS)
- Personal Income Tax and withholdings from the Tax Agency, Provincial Treasuries and Tax Authorities of Navarre
- Education-related variables (Studies in progress and Level of Education):
- Enrolled in non-university education of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
- Enrolled in and graduated from Universities
- Professional Certificates from the SEPE
- Historical Register of Degrees of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
- Padrón
- SEPE job seekers
- Central Register of Foreign Nationals
- In addition to some of the aforementioned, other files used to determine, for example, marital status or household composition are:
- Divorces and separations from INFOREG (Ministry of Justice)-
- Marriage Bulletins from the VS [Vital Statistics]
- Central Register of Foreign Nationals
- 18.2Frequency of data collection
Annual
- 18.3Data collection
In June, a copy of the census database as of 1 January of the same year was extracted, which serves as the starting point for the statistical process of creating the census file.
With regard to thematic information (employment, education, etc.), the INE has collaboration agreements with several organisations with the aim of receiving, with the required periodicity, punctuality and format, the files with official administrative data necessary for the preparation of the censuses.
- 18.4Data validation
Inconsistent or missing information will be filtered and imputed using specific programs designed according to the nature of each census variable.
- 18.5Data compilation
The method for estimating the resident population in the annual censuses is the one already used for the 2021 population census: the ‘signs of life’ or ‘signs of presence’ method.
These methods essentially consist of starting from a population register, in our case the Padrón, and assessing the plausibility of the residence of each person based on their presence in other registers, so that for each individual it is decided whether they are considered as resident or not, in a more precise way than the administrative accounting of the Register.
This method is applied to persons of foreign citizenship and persons aged 100 years and over.
In addition, births of short ages (up to 2 years) that have been received from the Civil Register, but have not yet been incorporated into the population register database, are added to the complete census file.
Once the census has been constructed, as far as resident persons are concerned, additional variables are constructed to characterise them, on different topics:
- Migratory
- Educational
- Labour
- etc.
These variables may increase over time depending on the availability of new sources of information.
- 18.6Adjustment
No aditional adjustments are made in this operation
- 18.1Source data
- 19Comment
- 19.1Comment
- 19.1Comment