Age — the age of the person concerned in full years at the time of the event, i.e. the age at last birthday.
Ethnic nationality — the data are based on self-determination. The ethnic nationality of the mother is taken as a basis for determining the ethnic nationality of the child.
Mean annual population — half the sum number of the population at the beginning and at the end of the year.
Migration — the change of place of residence over settlement border.
Place of residence — the area or settlement in which the person resides according to his/her statement or according to the Population Register (depending on the methodology of the survey).
Rural settlements — small towns and villages.
Urban settlements — cities, cities without municipal status and towns.
Population (excl. migration)
Population statistics are based on population censuses and registered changes of the population — births, deaths, marriages, divorces and changes of residence (migration). From 2000 the results of the 2000 Population and Housing Census are used as the basis for the population estimation. The results of the 2000 Population and Housing Census show that the quality of the migration data is low and therefore the migration data were not used for the estimation of the population. Statistics Estonia has published in addition to the preliminary adjusted population number also the population number with migration since 22 April 2009. Statistics Estonia will continue publishing the population number with and without migration until the new, 2011 Population Census. After the 2011 Population Census Statistics Estonia will switch to one unified population number. For the need to ensure consistent time series, Statistics Estonia will use until the 2011 Census in calculations of different indicators the population number without migration based on the currently applied methodology.
The numbers of population for the nineties have been revised. Also the rates have been adjusted according to the revised number of population.
The 2000 Population Census covered:
- persons who were in the Republic of Estonia at the moment of the Census, except for diplomatic staff of foreign diplomatic missions and consular posts and their family members and persons in active service in a foreign army;
- persons, who reside in the Republic of Estonia but who were in foreign states temporarily for a term of up to one year;
- diplomatic staff of diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Estonia and their family members, who were in a foreign state at the moment of the Census.
Persons whose permanent place of residence was in Estonia were counted as the resident population of Estonia irrespective of whether they stayed at the moment of Census in their permanent residence or not.
Vital events: births and deaths
Statistics on births, deaths, marriages and divorces covers vital events of Estonian residents registered at a vital statistics office in Estonia, as well as the vital events of Estonian citizens registered in the foreign representations of Estonia. Events registered in Estonia or in a foreign representation of Estonia are excluded from statistics, if the place of residence of the person(s) is permanently abroad.
Births
Until 1993 the birth statistics were based on the birth records of all births registered at the vital statistics offices of counties and local governments. Starting from the beginning of 1994, the data are derived from statistical accounting records of birth registration, which are filled in together with compiling the birth certificate. The basis for yearly processing of the birth data is the birth date of the child. Birth must be registered within one month after childbirth. Births about which the vital statistics office was notified in February of the next year or later, were by way of an exception accounted in the statistical processing under the data of the registration year.
If the child has been registered in Estonia, then the child’s place of residence is always the same as the mother’s place of residence. If the mother’s place of residence is outside of Estonia or is unknown, but the father’s place of residence is in Estonia and is known, then the child’s place of residence will be the father’s place of residence. If the place of residence of both parents is unknown, then the child’s place of residence is the place of the registration of the birth. Since 1994 the statistical birth forms are also completed by the foreign representations of Estonia. Of live births that are registered abroad, only the births in the case of which the mother’s place of residence is in Estonia are included in the total number of Estonian births.
Deaths
Until 1993 statistics on deaths were based on death records of all deaths registered at the vital statistics offices of local governments, and starting from 1994 — on statistical accounting forms of registering deaths which from 1996 were renamed medical death certificates. Medical death certificates also serve as basis for preparing death records. The processing of the data on deaths is based on the date of the death. Deaths, which are registered later than in January of the year following the year of death, will be added to the data of the registration year in the course of statistical processing. The deaths of Estonian citizens whose place of residence is abroad and whose death is registered abroad are excluded. Also deaths of foreign citizens who died in Estonia but whose place of residence is outside Estonia, are excluded. In case the place of residence of a dead person is unknown, the place where the death was registered is used as the last place of residence of the person concerned.
Classification of Estonian administrative units and settlements (EHAK)
Until 1999, the administrative division, on which the population location and population events by territorial distribution was based, was almost the same as during the 1989 Census. The distribution of the population and vital events by urban and rural areas observed the administrative division. Urban areas included all cities and towns and rural areas included rural municipalities. This method ensured comparability of data with previous years.
Since 1996 some towns and cities have been joined with neighbouring rural municipalities. Therefore, it is not possible to present the time-series of the data concerning population location and population events by territorial distribution by the current administrative division. Instead of the distribution of population and population events by urban and rural areas, the distribution into urban and rural settlements is therefore presented. Urban settlements include cities, cities without municipal status and towns; rural settlements include small towns and villages.
EHAK is available on the web site of Statistics Estonia under the heading List of Classifications: www.stat.ee/metadata
Statistical Classification of Regional Units of Estonia (EPS)
based on Nomenclature of Territorial Units of Statistics (NUTS)
According to the NUTS level 3, Estonia is divided as follows:
| EE001 | Northern Estonia | Harju County |
| EE004 | Western Estonia | Hiiu, Lääne, Pärnu and Saare Counties |
| EE006 | Central Estonia | Järva, Lääne-Viru and Rapla Counties |
| EE007 | Northeastern Estonia | Ida-Viru County |
| EE008 | Southern Estonia | Jõgeva, Põlva, Tartu, Valga, Viljandi and Võru Counties |
Rahvastik. Population. Yearbook
Eesti statistika aastaraamat. Statistical Yearbook of Estonia
Linnad ja vallad arvudes. Cities and Rural Municipalities in Figures
Maakonnad arvudes. Counties in Figures
Eesti piirkondlik statistika. Regional Statistics of Estonia
Alis Tammur
Population and Social Statistics Department
Tel +372 625 8481
alis.tammur@stat.ee
Updated: 03.05.2013