Population structure: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Population structure
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
Statistics on population structure describe persons permanently resident in Finland at the turn of the year. The permanent population consists of persons who have a personal identity code and a permanent municipality of residence in Finland. Population data are available with different regional classifications, such as by municipality, region and wellbeing services county. Data recorded on persons include, for example,
- place of residence
- sex
- age
- marital status
- language
- nationality
- country of birth.
Data are obtained from the Population Information System and published once a year.
Sector coverage (SIMS 3.3)
The data of the statistics on population structure are total data. They contain data drawn from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s Population Information System on all living persons with a personal identity code in the reference period. In general, the Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency can be considered very exhaustive as regards persons. The statistics do not include persons who live in Finland temporarily or whose application process for a residence permit is ongoing (e.g. asylum seekers).
Statistical unit (SIMS 3.5)
The statistical unit is a person.
Statistical population (SIMS 3.6)
Population permanently resident in Finland in the reference period. Persons with a personal identity code and a municipality of residence in Finland. The present Municipality of Residence Act gives people freedom of choice over the locality where they wish to be registered as permanently resident. Homeless people are also included in the permanently resident population.
As well as a permanent place of residence, a person may have a temporary place of residence in a dwelling that this person says he or she occupies temporarily for at least three months. The statistics on population structure are compiled only according to the permanent place of residence.
Reference area (SIMS 3.7)
Data are available on Finland and by various regional divisions based on the division of municipalities in Finland. Statistics based on municipal sub-areas or postal code areas can be produced as charged services. It is also possible to produce coordinate-based grid data.
Time coverage (SIMS 3.8)
Population data are available from 1749 onwards. Population numbers have been published by parish since 1865 and by municipality since 1920. The ten-year tables of the clergy provide information about the population’s age, marital status, and language by parish until 1940. From 1950 onwards these data by municipality are available at ten-year intervals on the basis of population censuses. Annual population data by municipality on age, marital status and language are available starting from 1970.
Annual population data by municipality are available in the StatFin statistical database service from 1972 onwards. Population statistics from 1750 onwards have been digitised into PDF format in the National Library's Doria service:
Publications on population structure and population changes in Otos
Publications on population census in Otos
Unit of measure (SIMS 4)
The measurement unit of the statistics is the number of persons.
Reference period (SIMS 5)
The reference period of the statistics is the last day of the year (31 December).
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Age
Age refers to a person's age in whole years as at 31 December. The data are obtained from the Population Information System. Age is also used as an auxiliary variable. For example, only people between 15 and 74 can be in the labour force.
Background country
During 2012, Statistics Finland has adopted a new origin classification. A similar classification is already used in the other Nordic countries. The origin and background country are determined based on the country of birth data of the person's parents. Using the origin classification it is easy to distinguish between persons born abroad and born in Finland with a foreign background. Data on persons that died before 1964 have not been entered into the Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. There are nearly 900,000 persons among the Finnish population who have been born in Finland and both parent's country of birth is unknown because the parents of these persons have died before the Population Information System was established. People born in Finland before 1970, whose parents' background is not known, have been concluded to be persons with Finnish background if their native language is a national language (Finnish, Swedish, Sami). All such persons who have at least one parent who was born in Finland are also considered to be persons with Finnish background. The background country for all persons with Finnish background is Finland. Persons whose both parents or the only known parent have been born abroad are considered to be persons with foreign background. Persons who have been born abroad and whose parents' data are not included in the Population Information System are also considered to be persons with foreign background. Persons born in Finland before 1970, whose native language is a foreign language have been considered to be persons with foreign background, as have persons born in Finland in 1970 or after this, whose parents' data are not included in the Population Information System. If both parents of a person have been born abroad, the background country is primarily the country of birth of the biological mother. If a person only has knowledge of a father that was born abroad, the background country is the country of birth of the father. If either parent's country of birth is unknown, the background country for persons born abroad is their own country of birth. For persons born in Finland, whose parents' data are unknown and who have been deducted to be with foreign background, the background country is unknown. For children adopted from abroad, the adoptive parents are regarded as the biological parents. Thus a child adopted from abroad by persons born in Finland is a person with Finnish background and their background country is Finland.
Change of population
Change of population is defined as increase of population added up with register corrections.
Country of birth
All persons entered in the Population Register are indicated a country of birth, which is determined on the basis of the mother's permanent home country at the time of birth. This means, for example, that the country of birth of Estonian immigrants born before Estonian independence is the Soviet Union. Similarly, the country of birth of people who were born in areas that Finland has subsequently ceded is Finland even though the area no longer is Finnish territory. Country of birth is indicated according to the form of government at the time of birth.
Demographic dependency ratio
The demographic dependency ratio is the ratio of persons aged under 15 and over 65 to the number of persons aged 15 to 64. The figure obtained is multiplied by one hundred.
Finnish background
All persons who have at least one parent who was born in Finland are considered to be persons with Finnish background. People born in Finland before 1970, whose parents' background is not known, have been concluded to be persons with Finnish background if their native language is a national language (Finnish, Swedish, Sami). The background country for all persons with Finnish background is Finland. For children adopted from abroad, the adoptive parents are regarded as the biological parents. Thus a child adopted from abroad by persons born in Finland is a person with Finnish background and their background country is Finland.
Foreign background
Persons whose both parents or the only known parent have been born abroad are considered to be persons with foreign background. Persons who have been born abroad and whose parents' data are not included in the Population Information System are also considered to be persons with foreign background. Persons born in Finland before 1970, whose native language is a foreign language have been considered to be persons with foreign background, as have persons born in Finland in 1970 or after this, whose parents' data are not included in the Population Information System. Persons, whose mother tongue is not Finnish, Swedish or Sami are regarded as foreign-language speakers.
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is calculated by dividing the number of deaths of infants under one year of age by the number of live births during the statistical year. Multiplying the result by 1,000 gives the figure in per mille.
Locality
An urban settlement is a cluster of buildings with at least 200 inhabitants. The delimitation is based on the population information of the previous year. Urban settlements are defined and delimited by the Finnish Environment Institute using geographic information methods that utilise the building and population data of Statistics Finland’s 250 m x 250 m grid data. The population size of grids containing buildings and their neighbouring grids, as well as the number of buildings and their floor area, are reviewed in the definition. From the uniform clusters of dwellings generated in the definition, the ones with at least 200 inhabitants are selected. All new urban settlements generated in the definition are named and numbered at Statistics Finland. In some years certain urban settlements may cease to meet the definition of urban settlement and thus disappear from the classification of urban settlements, merge into other urban settlements or withdraw from them. Administrative regional divisions do not affect the formation of urban settlements, and urban settlements do not follow municipal boundaries.
Mean population
The notion of mean population (or average population) refers to the average of the populations of two consecutive years. When a ratio describing some phenomenon is calculated for the statistical year, the number of events in the phenomenon in question is usually expressed as a proportion of the mean population of the people or the groups subject to the event. The figures relating to population events are generally given as per 1,000, that is, the result of the division is multiplied by one thousand.
Origin and background country
During 2012, Statistics Finland has adopted a new origin classification. A similar classification is already used in the other Nordic countries. The origin and background country are determined based on the country of birth data of the person's parents. Using the origin classification it is easy to distinguish between persons born abroad and born in Finland with a foreign background. Data on persons that died before 1964 have not been entered into the Population Information System of the Population Register Centre. There are nearly 900,000 persons among the Finnish population who have been born in Finland and both parent's country of birth is unknown because the parents of these persons have died before the Population Information System was established. People born in Finland before 1970, whose parents' background is not known, have been concluded to be persons with Finnish background if their native language is a national language (Finnish, Swedish, Sami). All such persons who have at least one parent who was born in Finland are also considered to be persons with Finnish background. The background country for all persons with Finnish background is Finland. Persons whose both parents or the only known parent have been born abroad are considered to be persons with foreign background. Persons who have been born abroad and whose parents' data are not included in the Population Information System are also considered to be persons with foreign background. Persons born in Finland before 1970, whose native language is a foreign language have been considered to be persons with foreign background, as have persons born in Finland in 1970 or after this, whose parents' data are not included in the Population Information System. If both parents of a person have been born abroad, the background country is primarily the country of birth of the biological mother. If a person only has knowledge of a father that was born abroad, the background country is the country of birth of the father. If either parent's country of birth is unknown, the background country for persons born abroad is their own country of birth. For persons born in Finland, whose parents' data are unknown and who have been deducted to be with foreign background, the background country is unknown. For children adopted from abroad, the adoptive parents are regarded as the biological parents. Thus a child adopted from abroad by persons born in Finland is a person with Finnish background and their background country is Finland.
Population
Population
The resident population of Finland on 31 December is derived from the Population Information System maintained by the Population Register Centre. Since the data for 1993, Statistics Finland and the Population Register Centre have had the same reference period, the turn of the year at midnight, which means that the number of population has been the same.
Population
The population refers to the permanent resident population of an area (e.g. entire country, province, municipality). Those persons who according to the Population Information System had a legal domicile in Finland on 31 December belong to the permanent resident population in the country regardless of their nationality, as do Finnish nationals residing temporarily abroad. Foreign nationals are domiciled in Finland if their stay is intended to last or has lasted at least one year. An asylum-seeker is not granted a legal domicile until his/her application has been approved. The staff of foreign embassies, trade missions and consulates, their family members and personal employees included, are not counted among the resident population unless they are Finnish citizens. On the other hand, the Finnish staff of Finland´s embassies and trade missions abroad and persons serving in the UN peacekeeping forces are counted among the resident population.
Registered partnership
Registered partnership of two persons of the same sex aged 18 or over (Act on Registered Partnerships of 9 Nov. 2001/950). Partnership is registered by an authority entitled to perform civil marriage ceremonies. Registered partnership is dissolved when one partner dies or is declared dead, or when it is dissolved by court order. The possibility to register partnerships started in Finland on 1 March 2002 and ended on the last day of February 2017 (Act to amend the Act of Registered Partnerships 250/2016). Starting from the beginning of March 2017, same-sex couples have been able to enter into marriage (156/2015). As a result of the amendment to the Marriage Act, parties to a partnership registered in Finland can convert their partnership into a marriage by making a joint notification of this to the Digital and Data Services Office. A registered partnership continues as a marriage from the day on which the Digital and Data Services Office has received the notification. In the statistics, registered partnerships that have been converted into marriages based on such notification are not included as contracted marriages in the annual statistics.
Sex/gender
Data on sex are obtained from the gender entry in the Population Information System maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. According to the Act that entered into force on 3 April 2023, the gender entry in the Population Information System can be changed upon application including an explanation that a person permanently identifies as the gender they seek recognition for (Act on Legal Recognition of Gender 295/2023). In Finland, only male or female can be entered as gender in the Population Information System. If a person who moves to Finland from abroad has a third or unspecified gender, the person is recorded as female in the Population Information System.
Sub-area (of municipality)
Municipal sub-areas are formed of operationally functional wholes defined by the municipality itself, which are the basis of the municipality's regional planning and monitoring. Statistics Finland is responsible for digitising new sub-area boundaries and for maintaining name files. Municipalities have the opportunity to check their sub-area division once a year. The division into sub-areas is a hierarchical three-level classification which has a 1-digit major area level, a 2-digit statistical area level and a 3-digit small area level. Sub-areas are numbered consecutively using these three hierarchical levels. The 6-digit sub-area code is bound to the 3-digit municipality code, so the sub-area code consists of a total of nine characters.
Tertiary level degree
Lowest level tertiary or university degree completed after upper secondary qualification.
Total change
Total change is increase of population added up with register corrections of population. Increase of population is the sum of excess of births and total net migration.
Urban-rural
Geographical information systems (GIS) with extensively detailed, register-based datasets introduce new insights into the process of classifying urban and rural areas. The independence of administrative borders makes it possible to recognise and classify areas in greater detail than before. The new classification system replaces the previously used urban-rural regional classification system and the trisection of rural areas, which were based on municipal boundaries. he geographical information-based area classification system has been created by the Finnish Environment Institute and the Department of Geography of the University of Oulu. The classification system is implemented using a nationwide 250 x 250 m grid of cells. Each cell is categorized into one of seven classes according to the defined criteria. Urban areas: The population centres of urban areas are agglomerations with more than 15 000 residents. Each of these agglomerations consists of a core urban area, which is then divided into an inner and outer urban area. Surrounding the core urban area is a peri-urban area. 1. Inner urban area A compact and densely built area with continuous development. 2. Outer urban area A dense urban area extending from the boundary of the inner urban area to the outer edge of the continuous built area. 3. Peri-urban area A part of the intermediate zone between urban and rural, which is directly linked to an urban area. Rural areas: Different rural types are delineated for the areas that have not been identified as urban. The boundary between urban and rural areas is not unambiguous. The classification framework has been designed to be flexible, which makes it possible to identify an intermediate zone between urban and rural that can be examined as its own whole. This can be done, for instance, by combining two classes, the peri-urban area and rural areas close to urban areas. 4. Local centres in rural areas Population centres located outside urban areas. 5. Rural areas close to urban areas Areas with a rural character that are functionally connected and close to urban areas. 6. Rural heartland areas Rural areas with intensive land use, with a relatively dense population and a diverse economic structure at the local level. 7. Sparsely populated rural areas Sparsely populated areas with dispersed small settlements that are located at a distance from each other. Most of the land areas are forested.
Working-age population
When calculating the demographic dependency ratio, the working-age population is considered to consist of all persons aged between 15 and 64.
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Legal acts and other agreements (SIMS 6.1)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Data sharing (SIMS 6.2)
Statistics Finland’s task is to compile statistics and reports describing conditions in society (Statistics Finland Act of 24 January 1992/48). These also include demographic statistics. Statistics Finland's Rules of Procedure valid at each time specify the Population and Social Statistics department as the producer of population statistics.
The statistics are available in the StatFin database after the release. In addition, statistics on chargeable databases and assignments are available as a charged service.
Source data (SIMS 18.1)
Finnish population statistics are based on the Population Information System maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (previously by the Population Register Centre and local register offices).
Frequency of data collection (SIMS 18.2)
The data for the statistics are collected annually.
Data collection (SIMS 18.3)
Statistics Finland receives population data from the Population Information System maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (previously the Population Register Centre) once a year. The transmission of data takes place electronically in a secure environment. The acquisition of data is based on Statistics Finland's position as a statistical authority as decreed in law.
Data validation (SIMS 18.4)
Logicality checks between variables are made to the source data. Separately defined error checks are used to examine the correctness of the data. The values of the data variables are compared with the used official classifications.
Data compilation (SIMS 18.5)
The statistics on population structure are total data. The data for a child's biological mother are imputed as the native language and religion data of children aged 0 if no data have been entered in the Population Information System within the waiting period. A total of 14,772 persons who have probably moved abroad have been removed after analyses of life event details from the population data derived from the Population Information System for the end of 2025. These persons are mostly foreign citizens whose address is unknown and who have not received earned income, capital income, entrepreneurial income, unemployment benefit, pension income, income support or compensation from sickness insurance between 2024 and 2025.
Overall accuracy (SIMS 13.1)
To obtain a personal identity code, a person has to be registered in the Population Information System. It is practically impossible to reside permanently in Finland for a long time without a personal identity code. A personal identity code is needed in order to work legally, open a bank account, attend to matters with authorities, and so on.
Since the discontinuation of yearly checking of domicile registers in 1989, the Population Information System has been maintained only by notifications of changes to population information. Their correctness is determined by a reliability survey made of the addresses in the Population Information System.
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency has requested Statistics Finland to carry out sample surveys on the correctness of address data. Around 10,000 persons are asked whether their address in the Population Information System is correct. In the 2012 survey, the address was correct for 98.9 per cent of the respondents. The non-response of this survey was 16.9 per cent. Attempts were made to check the addresses for the persons in the non-response from other sources. The address could be ascertained as correct for 92.3 per cent and as incorrect for 5.9 per cent of the persons included in the non-response. The address of 1.8 per cent of the persons in the non-response could not be checked. Under the assumption that all the unchecked data for the persons in the non-response were incorrect, the final proportion of correct addresses would be 98.1 per cent.
A total of 14,772 persons who have probably moved abroad have been removed after analyses from the population data derived from the Population Information System for the end of 2025. These persons are mostly foreign citizens whose address is unknown and who have not received earned income, capital income, entrepreneurial income, unemployment benefit, pension income, income support or compensation from sickness insurance between 2024 and 2025.
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Quality assessment (SIMS 11.2)
The statistics on population structure have been audited.
Data revision - policy (SIMS 17.1)
Revisions – i.e. improvements in the accuracy of statistical data already published – are a normal feature of statistical production and result in improved quality of statistics. The principle is that statistical data are based on the best available data and information concerning the statistical phenomenon. On the other hand, the revisions are communicated as transparently as possible in advance. Advance communication ensures that the users can prepare for the data revisions.
The reason why data in statistical releases become revised is often caused by the data becoming supplemented. Then the new, revised statistical figure is based on a wider information basis and describes the phenomenon more accurately than before.
Revisions of statistical data may also be caused by the calculation method used, such as annual benchmarking or updating of weight structures. Changes of base years and used classifications may also cause revisions to data.
Timeliness (SIMS 14.1)
The data are released about three months after the reference period.
Punctuality (SIMS 14.2)
The statistics have been published on the target date.
Comparability - geographical (SIMS 15.1)
Up to 1998, population statistics by municipality at the turn of the year were compiled according to the regional division valid on the last day of the year. From 1999 onwards the regional division used has been the one valid on the first day of the following year. When calculating change in the population of a municipality, the previous populations of merged municipalities are taken into account. The time series containing regional data have been made comparable by using the valid regional division in the whole time series.
Comparability - over time (SIMS 15.2)
The regional division of the first day of the statistical reference year is used in the statistics on population structure. Comparisons based on numbers can be made when the effect of regional mergers are considered. It is common practice that the entire time series is updated with the temporally latest change.
Coherence – cross domain (SIMS 15.3)
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency reports the population according to the register situation on its website. The figure differs from Statistics Finland's population because when compiling population statistics, Statistics Finland awaits notifications about births, deaths and moves related to the reference period so that the official population corresponds to the actual situation.
Coherence - internal (SIMS 15.4)
Statistics Finland’s other statistics use the data of population statistics as basic information on population. Thus, different statistics of Statistics Finland are consistent with each other as regards population data. Preliminary statistics are also produced on the size of the population. The figures of the preliminary statistics differ from the final statistics, because in the preliminary statistics the waiting period for population change details is shorter.
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Release calendar access (SIMS 8.2)
Statistics Finland's release calendar Future publications
Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics at: Future publications of the statistics
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Frequency of dissemination (SIMS 9)
The statistics on population structure are produced once a year. There are two or three statistical releases annually.
News release (SIMS 10.1)
The release is published annually on the home page of the statistics.
Online database (SIMS 10.3)
The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database.
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment (SIMS 7.2)
In population statistics, the identification data of an individual are pseudonymised, that is, the data of a person can no longer be linked to a specific person without additional information.
In accordance with data protection practices, rules concerning less detailed data are applied when distributing data by area if the table contains variables specified as sensitive. Then figures below the threshold value are not reported or they are not divided into categories of sensitive variables.
According to the Statistics Act, data released for research use must be edited into a form from which statistical units cannot be identified directly or indirectly. In order to prevent indirect identification, the key variables in terms of identification must be edited using statistical data protection methods suitable for the situation.
Releasing the sample instead of the total data is the main data protection method.
In addition to sampling, Statistics Finland has used, for example, less detailed classification of variables, removal of variables or suppression of the variable values received by an individual unit as data limiting methods.