Analytics, Demography, Estonia, Society

Population adjustment showed that the decrease was smaller than January’s preliminary data revealed. “Preliminary population results were adjusted mainly due to the adding of immigrants’ data,” explained the Leading Statistician Helerin Rannala. “We did not have the people’s data with residence permits in January yet,” she added.

In 2011, the decline of the estimated population was influenced by the decrease in the number of births and the increase of the emigration. 14,679 live births and 15,244 deaths were registered, 3,709 persons immigrated to Estonia and 6,214 persons emigrated from Estonia in 2011.

There have always been slightly more women in the population and at the beginning of the year 707,700 women and 610,300 men lived in Estonia. In 2011, the number of women declined by 2,300 and that of men by about 670 persons. The number of working-age persons (aged 15–64) also continued to decline. On 1 January 2012, approximately 7,000 working-age persons less lived in Estonia than at the beginning of the previous year. At the same time the number of children increased. The share of urban population was 63%. Almost one third of Estonia’s population live in the capital city Tallinn.

Estonian population, 1 January 2012

Estonian population by age groups, 1 January 2012

The estimated population number is based on the 2000 Population and Housing Census data which are supplemented with the annual data on registered births, deaths and migration. It differs from the population number in the Population Register where the data are based on the registration of a person's place of residence. Internationally, the Census data are considered more accurate than the Register data, because people may have different reasons for alteration of data while registering their place of residence. At the same time Statistics Estonia’s data are deteriorated by the long period of time since the last Census.

Statistics Estonia will publish the preliminary population number of the 2011 Population and Housing Census (PHC 2011) in May and the final number in December 2012. After that population accounts will be revised.

PHC 2011 takes place from 31.12.2011 to 31.03.2012 and it is conducted using a combined method: from 31.12.2011 to 01.02.2012 permanent residents had a chance to fill in the Census questionnaire over the Internet and those who did not use the e-Census option are interviewed by the enumerator at home till the end of March.