3. Basic demographic data

In this lesson you will become familiar with basic demographic data. The main information sources used in demography are current population statistics and statistics of population changes. The lesson presents the contents of these statistics and the data collection modes, interviews and register-based data collection.

The lesson also examines the population census. Did you know that the population census specifies not only the number of population but also provides other information relating to population? This information is collected on all the inhabitants of the country. With regard to you, the population statistics contain information about your marital status, municipality of domicile, education and family structure, for example.

At the end of the lesson we will take a look at the population register and its information content. Other information sources of demography, current population statistics, statistics of population changes and the population register will be discussed further in the next lesson, "History of Finland's population statistics", which studies the development of the information sources used in demography from the 16^th century until today.