Census methodology in Turkey: Transformation from traditional to register-based administrative data

What is it about?

With the goal of producing timelier, more useful, sustained and less costly annual population statistics, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) plans to change its census methodology from combined to register-based.

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Photo by Michael Parulava on Unsplash

Photo by Michael Parulava on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Turkstat’s shift to a register-based census is also driven by Eurostat’s goal of producing census variables annually in the post-2021 period, unfavorable features of previous census methods (traditional or combined), and significant improvements in national administrative registers. TurkStat plans to establish an integrated system that includes related registers for Turkey’s 2021 Population and Housing Census (PHC). TurkStat’s Address Based Population Registration System is sufficient to meet almost all the country’s population statistical needs, except for labor force statistics and building and dwelling characteristics. Thus, TurkStat must carry out further research to set up a qualified database.