France has just released the first official population figures for its administrative units resulting from its new mode of census. These figures, which replace the official population numbers of the 1999 census, will from now on be updated each year.

France has implemented since 2004 a rolling census, based on the enumeration, each year, of a part of its population. Each year, the population of a fifth of the communes of less than 10 000 inhabitants and 8% of the population of each commune of 10 000 inhabitants or more is enumerated. This technique also relies on administrative sources, to synchronize the data collected at different dates and to update the sample base in the large communes. From the third quarter of 2009, INSEE will disseminate the totality of the statistical results (characteristic of the inhabitants and residences: age, diplomas…) for all geographical levels starting from the commune. Standard documents presenting the essential data, detailed tables, graphs, charts and data files will gradually be made available free of charge on Internet.

For more information: http://www.insee.fr/fr/ppp/bases%2Dde%2Ddonnees/recensement/populations%2Dlegales/

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