In 2022, a new census will be taken in Germany. The aim of the statistical survey is to determine how many people live in Germany and how they live and work. Many decisions at national, regional and local level are based on population and housing figures. The national population has to be regularly counted to provide reliable figures for planning. As most of this data is sourced from administrative registers, most inhabitants do not have to provide any information. In Germany, the 2022 census will be based on administrative registers, supplemented by a random sample and combined with a census of buildings and housing. The 2022 census in Germany will form part of a series of censuses throughout the European Union that have been taking place every ten years since 2011. The upcoming census has been postponed from 2021 to 2022 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The member states of the European Union are obliged to record their population figures. In Germany, the Census Preparation Act (ZensVorbG) forms the legal framework for the preparatory work and the Census Act (ZensG) provides the legal basis for conducting the census.
The census results provide the following information:
The data is only evaluated anonymously. The census is not about finding something out about the lifestyles or views of each individual inhabitant. On the contrary, statistics is all about generalising data, forming aggregates and calculating averages – not about presenting individual cases. The sole aim and purpose is to obtain a reliable database for further planning. The results of the census should be available by the end of 2023. They will be published on this website.
The Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder work together on the census. They prepare the survey, coordinate its consistent and punctual execution and ensure compliance with quality standards. The Federal Statistical Office is responsible for developing the necessary technical applications and works with the Federal Centre for Information Technology (ITZBund) to provide the IT infrastructure required for the reception, processing and storage of data. The Statistical Offices of the Länder are responsible for conducting the surveys in their respective federal states. They independently collect data for the census of buildings and housing, and they arrange for survey offices to be set up in their local municipalities. Their main task is to recruit survey officers and coordinate local surveys.
The census newsletter will keep you up to date with all the latest activities carried out by the Statistical Offices of the Federation and the Länder in preparation for the 2022 Census. The newsletter is published at irregular intervals. All previous issues can be downloaded here. You can subscribe to the newsletter by signing up to the Federal Statistical Office’s email press mailing list (please note that the newsletter is only available in German).
Facts about the 2022 Census
The term “disinformation” refers to false or misleading information that is spread with the intention of manipulating or deceiving the general public. The 2022 Census is also affected by this problem.
The 2011 Census was the largest official statistics project in Germany – and the 2022 Census is about to follow suit. Many citizens will be involved in the census and obliged to provide information. When it comes to major official statistics projects like this, some information may be misunderstood or even deliberately misrepresented. In addition to classic print and online media, false information may be shared on social media or in chat groups.