How was the 2021 Population and Housing Census realized?
The 2021 Population and Housing Census (2021 Census) of Slovakia was based on a new concept.
- For the first time, the traditional census was replaced by an integrated census and a fully electronic census.
- An integrated census is a census based on the combination of data from administrative data sources and data collected from the population.
- The census was carried out exclusively electronically without paper forms, via e-forms.
2021 Census was implemented in two stages - the housing census and the population census.
The decisive moment of the census, to which the data collected in the census related, was from midnight on 31 December 2020 to Friday 1 January 2021.
Housing census
The housing census was realized from 1 June 2020 to 12 February 2021.
Data collection was provided by the municipalities of the SR (in the capital city of Bratislava and the city of Košice city districts), in cooperation with the Statistical Office of the SR. A resident did not participate in the housing census.
All dwellings in residential buildings, regardless of whether they are occupied or unoccupied, and other housing units that are occupied at the decisive moment of the census are subjects of the housing census. Other housing units that are the subjects of the census include, for example, occupied shacks, which cannot be assigned a census number and thus no address point in the Address Register, occupied garages, occupied houseboats, occupied unapproved family houses and other occupied buildings not primarily designed for habitation.
The housing census was carried out by an electronic census form, which included two types: a database census form and a questionnaire census form.
Population census
The self-enumeration of the population was carried out in the period of 15 February 2021 to 31 March 2021.
A resident could be counted alone or with the help of a close person via the e-form available at www.scitanie.sk or in the 2021 Census mobile application. Due to the unfavourable epidemic situation, it was necessary to amend the Census Act and postpone the assisted census.
The assisted census was realized from May 3 to 13 June 2021. The assisted census was intended for residents who count not themselves even with the help of a related person, especially digitally excluded residents, elderly residents. A resident could be counted at the contact point in the municipality with the help of a stationary assistant or to ask the municipality / call centre for a mobile assistant, who visited the he/she at home.
Thanks to the new census concept
- existing administrative data sources were used effectively,
- administrative burden on the population decreased (a resident did not participate in the housing census, the census form contained fewer questions compared to the previous censuses, a resident was counted anywhere by any internet-enabled devices),
- quality of collected data was improved, especially as for the completeness,
- costs on the field work were reduced.