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

Abstract

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. It also plans to produce census data on 1 km2 grids, in 2021. 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. With respect to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's recommendations for the 2020 PHCs, as well as European Union (EU) regulations, TurkStat is likely to produce approximately 70% of the core census topics using the currently available registers. With the 2021 PHC approaching, TurkStat's aim is to increase the quality and variety of register-based statistics.