Population census

The results of a population census present a numerical picture of the structure of the population, households and families in Austria. Because these statistics are compiled not solely for the overall federal territory but also for municipalities and even smaller domains, the census results serve as a basis for many public administration tasks, for economic decisions and for scientific work. They furthermore provide citizens with information both for their own decision-making and for evaluating the success of political measures. The figures contribute to the fair apportioning of tax monies among the federal provinces and municipalities, and serve the allocation of National Assembly seats among constituencies. They reflect the demand for transport facilities for commuters, facilitate the rational management of new business locations, and enable realistic zoning plans and land use measures as well as projections relating to the future population and its structure in Austria.

130 years of traditional population censuses in Austria

The first “modern” population census, in other words, a statistical survey applying uniform principles involving the entire population in all parts of the country on the same survey date, was held in Austria in 1869. (Surveys carried out prior to this did not comply with all these principles.) At that time, the questionnaires were counted locally and added up into district totals (and then into province and Reich totals). The same applied to the 1880 census. The 1890 Population Census was held using punched cards, and the results compiled by means of electric counting machines. Austria and the USA were the first countries to use this modern technical method. The technology was refined in 1900 and 1910. During the inter-War period, population censuses were held in 1923 and 1934, and in 1939 under foreign rule. Counts have been made regularly in the years ending in “1”  since 1951. While punched cards were still in use in 1961 (one cycle through the tabulating machines took six weeks), electronic methods were introduced in 1971, when data collection was converted to electronic slip reading simultaneously with Germany and Switzerland. This method was in turn refined in 1981 and 1991 to enable the transition to new technologies (the use of scanners and recognition software) in 2001.