The purpose of postcensal population estimates is to provide an accurate statistical estimation of population groups when census data is not available, and to continue the homogeneous time series since 1986 on the annual evolution of the population of Catalonia and its distribution by sex and age. These estimates have been generated for Catalonia as a whole, the 41 counties, the seven areas within the Territorial Plan, the 24 municipalities with 45,000 inhabitants or more and the four provinces. The time reference for the postcensal population estimates is 1st July and 31st December.
The postcensal population estimates are calculated based on the last available census and the demographic shifts from the corresponding year. The information they provide enable us to find out the levels of demographic growth and the shift in the population pyramid on a yearly basis. It also enables us to reliably calculate the demographic, social and economic indicators in which the population groups are the reference denominator, especially when these denominators must be disaggregated according to the features of sex and age.
This information is published every year in the book entitled Estimacions de població. Dades postcensals (also available in PDF to download). The interest of this publication is that it presents both the methodology and the results for the latest year, in addition to providing the time series of a battery of demographic indicators for the different territorial areas. The results are also published on the Bank of statistics of municipalities and counties, where the time series and the population by sex and age can be consulted.
By taking a new population census tally, the annual figures of the population estimates can be revised in the interim between two censuses, and from this the intercensal population estimates are generated. The production of intercensal estimates, then, consists of retroactively correcting the postcensal population estimates with the aid of the data from the new census. The level of disaggregation of the data is the same as for the postcensal estimates.
In terms of the data, postcensal estimates are more recent but less precise than intercensal data. They should also be regarded as provisional results, while the intercensal estimates are definitive results.
The information from the intercensal population estimates are published in the book entitled Estimacions de població. Dades intercensals. The interest of this publication is that it presents both the methodology and the results for the latest five-year period, 1996-2001, along with the time series of a battery of demographic indicators for the different territorial areas since 1986. The results are also published on the Bank of statistics of municipalities and counties, where the time series and the population by sex and age can be consulted.
