Sample characteristics: Spain

Census characteristics
  1981 1991 2001
Title Census of Population and Housing 1981, Spain Census of Population and Housing 1991, Spain Census of Population and Housing 2001, Spain
Census agency Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas (INE) Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas (INE) Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas (INE)
Population universe The census includes persons who have a fixed residence in the national territory as well as those who are in the national territory at the time of reference, without omissions nor duplications.
The persons who have their residency in Spain constitute the fixed population [population with rights]. The persons who are in the national territory at the moment of the census form the actual population [de facto].
The census includes persons who have a fixed residence in the national territory as well as those who are in the national territory at the time of reference, without omissions nor duplications.
The persons who have their residency in Spain constitute the fixed population [population with rights]. The persons who are in the national territory at the moment of the census form the actual population [de facto].
Residents: persons who at the time of the census habitually reside in Spain. This excludes those persons who were in Spain at the time of the census, but did not reside there. The only exception are citizens and residents temporarily abroad.
De jure or de facto De facto and de jure De jure De jure
Census day March 1, 1981 March 1, 1991 November 1, 2001
Field work period March 1 to April 1, 1991 The field work period will last two months.
Enumeration forms Two types of questionnaires will be used: one for the population that lives in family dwellings and another for the population that lives in collective dwellings. There are five forms: general questionnaire, individual questionnaire, collective [dwelling] questionnaire, secondary dwellings with no registered dwellers, and 1990 building questionnaire. The are four forms: the dwelling, censal data, household data, and individual data forms.
Type of field work The questionnaires are prepared to utilize the method of self-enumeration, with which the mission of the Agent is reduced, generally, to the tasks of delivering and collecting the questionnaires and verifying the correct completion of the same. The questionnaires are prepared to utilize the method of self-enumeration, with which the mission of the Agent is reduced, generally, to the tasks of delivering and collecting the questionnaires and verifying the correct completion of the same. The enumerator is the main form of data collection. However, data can be provided by telephone or internet. The forms are designed to allow the respondents to fill them without any help.
Control enumeration The Group Leaders will revise the questionnaires one by one, obligating the Agents, if it were necessary, to go personally to the corresponding dwellings with the defective questionnaires, to collect the pertinent information. Enumeration agents will collect the information from the different sections (within municipalities) and purify the forms collected.

Back to Top

Microdata sample characteristics
  1981 1991 2001
Microdata source Integrated European Census Microdata Integrated European Census Microdata Integrated European Census Microdata
Sample design Systematic stratified sampling. The provinces of Alava, Guipuzcoa, Navarra, and Vizcaya were over-sampled at roughly 5 times the rate of other provinces. Systematic stratified sampling Systematic stratified sampling
Sample unit Dwelling Dwelling Dwelling
Sample fraction 5% 5% 5%
Sample size (person records) 2,084,221 1,931,458 2,039,274
Sample weights Computed by census agency. Use of weights is strongly recommended because of oversampling of several provinces. Computed by census agency and should be used for most types of analysis. Expansion factor = 20.

Back to Top

Units identified
  1981 1991 2001
Dwellings Yes Yes Yes
Vacant units Yes Yes Yes
Households Yes Yes Yes
Individuals Yes Yes Yes
Group quarters Yes Yes Yes
Lodging [Alojamientos] Yes Yes Yes
Smallest geography Municipalities with 20,000+ population Municipalities with 20,000+ population Municipalities with 20,000+ population combined by MPC

Back to Top

Unit definitions
  1981 1991 2001
Dwellings A dwelling is a structurally separate and independent location that, given the way it was built, rebuilt, transformed, or adapted, is conceived to be inhabited by persons, or, even if this is not the case, is effectively and actually inhabited at the time A dwelling is a structurally separate and independent location that, given the way it was built, rebuilt, transformed, or adapted, is conceived to be inhabited by persons, or, even if this is not the case, is effectively and actually inhabited at the time of the census. A dwelling is a structurally separate and independent location that, given the way it was built, rebuilt, transformed, or adapted, is conceived to be inhabited by persons, or, even if this is not the case, is effectively and actually inhabited at the time of the census.
Households The family [household] is defined as a group of persons, generally linked because they are relatives, who live together, normally occupying the totality of a dwelling. Persons in domestic services who spend the night in the dwelling and guests who are part of the family group will be included as family. A household is the group of people who, residing in the same dwelling, share expenses derived from the use of the dwelling and/or alimentation. Single person and multiperson households are to be considered. Group of people residing in the same family dwelling. Sharing of expenses is not required. Family dwellings are those inhabited by one or more persons usually, but not necessarily, having kindred ties and who do not constitute a group quartes [see definition below].
Group Quarters Collective dwellings are those dwellings or buildings designed to be occupied by persons who do not constitute a family, subject to a common regime or authority, or gathered by common objectives or interests. Collective dwellings are those dwellings or buildings designed to be occupied by persons who do not constitute a family, subject to a common regime or authority, or gathered by common objectives or interests. Collective dwellings are those dwellings or buildings designed to be occupied by persons who do not constitute a family, subject to a common regime or authority, or gathered by common objectives or interests.
Lodging [Alojamientos] [Alojamiento] "Lodging" refers to those units that do not qualify as dwelling because they are mobile, semi-permanent or improvised or because they have not been conceived for residential purposes but were occupied during the census. [Alojamiento] "Lodging" refers to those units that do not qualify as dwelling because they are mobile, semi-permanent or improvised or because they have not been conceived for residential purposes but were occupied during the census. Lodging is a family dwelling that is mobile, semi-permanent, or improvised or even if it was not intended for residential purposes, is inhabited at the time of the census.

Back to Top