05.10.2017 Population and Housing Census – next one will be carried out mainly on-line

5 October 2017

The Czech Statistical Office finalised the substance of a draft bill on the 2021 Population and Housing Census (hereinafter the Census). It submitted the draft bill for consultation in the end of September.

The draft, among others, envisages maximum use of administrative data sources. It applies to drawing of data already available to the public administration and that can be taken over by the CZSO from other institutions and offices. Thanks to use of information from administrative data sources, the scope of census forms will be markedly narrowed. Inhabitants will no longer fill in a “Census Form – Buildings” and a half of the “Census Form – Dwellings”. During the previous Census, which took place in 2011, they filled in 47 pieces of data. Within the 2021 Census, the CZSO will survey only 20 pieces of data directly from respondents.

“During the next Census, filling of electronic forms will be emphasized. In 2011, this way was used by 25.5% of the population. We expect in 2021 the interest in filling in electronic forms to double. Only those households, which will not have filled in data on-line will undergo an additional field survey via enumerators (census takers),” Iva Ritschelová , the CZSO President, explains.

Population and Housing Censuses take place in decennial intervals; on the territory of the current Czech Republic they have been carried out already since 1869. A census is a unique and a complex source of demographic and socio-economic data, which is important for strategic planning within the Czech Republic as well as in its regions. It applies, for example, to ensuring of a sufficient number of places in retirement homes, decision-making on the size and location of nursery schools, basic schools, and secondary schools, planning in the area of employment and measures on the labour market or ensuring of public transport for a given territory.

Contact:
Petra Báčová
Spokeswoman of the CZSO
T (+420) 274 052 017 | M (+420) 778 727 232
E petra.bacova@czso.cz | Twitter @ statistickyurad