GEOSTAT 1A project on the development of an European population grid dataset.
GEOSTAT 1A produced a population prototype dataset for 2006 and developed a vision and an initial methodology to be followed by others for generating European grid statistics. The project report outlined a vision and outlined the methodological foundations for European population grid datasets.
Embedded into a long-term strategy within Eurostat and the ESS to integrate spatial information and statistics, the ESSnet project “GEOSTAT – representing census data in a European population grid dataset”, aims at representing various characteristics in a 1km² grid dataset and for this takes advantage of the 2011 Census.
The report describes user needs and best practices in some of the more advanced countries in the field of grid statistics and then presents recommendations and guidelines on producing a European population grid dataset from various national sources, for others to follow.
The report includes reflections on confidentiality management of grid data and their proper quality documentation. It concludes with a blue print for a data infrastructure for spatial statistical data and then lists some of the open topics to be solved in future projects such as continuity of the action and licensing issues.