English

The Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia is the largest survey aimed at collecting basic data on the number and territorial distribution of population by demographic, economic, educational, migration and other characteristics as well as the characteristics of households and dwellings.

The Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021 was carried out on the basis of the Act on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2021 (Official Gazette, Nos. 25/20 and 34/21). The Census was conducted to reflect the situation as of 31 August 2021 at midnight, which had been deemed as the reference date of the Census.

The Census was conducted in two ways:

persons were able to enumerate themselves independently by completing the electronic version of the Census questionnaire that had been made available via the e-Citizens digital portal and at the same time provide data about their household and dwelling;
enumerators were using electronic devices to enumerate all census units that had not been enumerated independently, and had scrutinized the data collected by independent enumeration.

The National Identification and Authentication System (NIAS) was used to access the Census questionnaire in the e-Citizens digital portal.

The Census was conducted in two phases:

from 13 September 2021 to 26 September 2021, by way of independent enumeration of the population via the e-Citizens digital portal;
from 27 September 2021 to 14 November 2021, enumerators enumerated all the census units that had not been enumerated independently by interviewing the population with the aid of electronic devices and scrutinized the data collected during the first phase of the Census.

Self-enumeration

Self-enumeration period (CAWI phase)

Self-enumeration of the population via the e-Citizens digital portal was carried out from 13 September 2021 to 26 September 2021.

How were citizens able to enumerate themselves?

In the process of self-enumeration, citizens had an opportunity to fill out a digital questionnaire about their dwelling and household as well as about all members of the household.

One reference person was able to provide all the data for one household, that is, one e-respondent was expected to fill in the questionnaire with identification data as well as data on the dwelling and household and data on all members of the household. Subsequent changes and enumeration of additional household members after the questionnaire had been submitted and locked were not possible in the CAWI phase.

The CAWI Census questionnaire consisted of the following:

Identification data
Data on households
Data on dwellings
Data on persons.

A successfully completed CAWI Census questionnaire for household contained correctly entered identification data, data on the household and dwelling as well as data for at least one person (it referred to the person filling in the questionnaire in the case when that person was the only member of the household).

The e-respondent was able to change the content in the CAWI questionnaire until it was locked and submitted.

How was a person able to access the self-enumeration portal?

By visiting the Census website https://Popis2021.hr and clicking on the self-enumeration link, which redirected the person to the e-Citizens digital portal. The NIAS electronic service (National Identification and Authentication System) then requested for the person’s authentication and access to his/her personal data. Upon clicking on the “I agree” icon, the person was able to select credentials, log in, read the terms of service, confirm that he/she was an adult and start the self-enumeration process.

What happened after completion of the self-enumeration questionnaire?

After successfully locking and submitting the Census questionnaire, the e-respondent was only able to see a unique code generated after submitting the Census questionnaire, which served as a proof of successful submission of the Census questionnaire and which the e-respondent handed over to the enumerator during the field enumeration.

Data confidentiality

According to the Act on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2021 (Official Gazette, Nos 25/20 and 34/21) and the Official Statistics Act (Official Gazette, Nos 25/20 and 155/23), all data collected by the Census are confidential and shall be used exclusively for statistical purposes.

Field enumeration

Field enumeration period (CAPI phase)

Field enumeration in the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2021 began on 27 September 2021 and lasted until 14 November 2021.

How was the field enumeration carried out?

In the field enumeration phase, each enumerator was in charge of certain enumeration areas. By visiting addresses, the enumerator enumerated all persons, households and dwellings. One person was able to provide his/her own identification data, data on the dwelling and household as well as data on all members of the household. If other members of the household were present at the time of enumeration, each person was able to provide the enumerator with their own data.

Taking over unique codes

In the field enumeration phase, enumerators went to the enumeration areas, visited all the addresses, including those of citizens who had enumerated themselves in the e-Citizens digital portal during the CAWI phase in order to take over their unique codes.

It was possible to hand the unique codes to the enumerator in person when they came to a person's address, or to print it out and leave it in a visible place for the enumerator to take it over.

Data confidentiality

Questions and answers

How was the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021 (hereinafter referred to as the 2021 Census) carried out?
The 2021 Census was carried out in two phases:

from 13 September 2021 to 26 September 2021, persons were able to enumerate themselves using the electronic Census questionnaire, which was available via the e-Citizens digital portal, enumerating at the same time the household and the dwelling they lived in;
from 27 September to 14 November 2021, using electronic devices, enumerators enumerated the census units that had not enumerated themselves and checked the data collected by self-enumeration (they took over the unique code from the households that had enumerated themselves via the e-Citizens digital portal).

What was the reference date of the 2021 Census?

The reference date of the 2021 Census was 31 August 2021. During enumeration, the answers requested had to refer to the situation as on 31 August 2021 at 24 o’clock. This very short time point is called the reference time of the Census. It is defined because of the changes that occur in census units.

What is the aim of the 2021 Census?

The aim of the 2021 Census is to determine data on the number and spatial distribution of the population and its basic demographic, educational, migration, economic and other characteristics, as well as the characteristics of households and dwellings.

Who were participants in the Census?

Census participants were enumerators, controllers, instructors, coordinators, deputy coordinators, members of county census committees and the Census Committee of the City of Zagreb, members of census committees of branch offices and heads of census centres. About 9 500 participants were engaged in the Census.

How was it possible to access a sample of the Census questionnaire in English/languages of ethnic minorities?

There was a section ''Census questionnaire'' on the link, where it was possible to access a sample of the Census questionnaire in English or in languages of ethnic minorities (a total of 21 languages of ethnic minorities). Answers in the Census questionnaire were to be provided in Croatian language and Latin script.

Will the data collected by the Census be used for some other purposes?

According to the Official Statistics Act (Official Gazette, Nos 25/20 and 155/23), all data collected by this survey are confidential and shall be used exclusively for statistical purposes.

Self-enumeration phase (CAWI phase)

How was it made possible to access self-enumeration portal?

By visiting the Census website https://Popis2021.hr and clicking on the self-enumeration link, which redirected the person to the e-Citizens digital portal. The NIAS electronic service (National Identification and Authentication System) then requested for the person’s authentication and access to his/her personal data. Upon clicking on the “I agree” icon, a person was able to select his/her credentials, log in, read the terms of service, confirm that he/she was an adult and start the self-enumeration process.

Was there a user support?

Yes. In the course of the enumeration, it was possible to contact the information centre from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

What happened after completing the Census questionnaire?

After successfully locking and submitting the Census questionnaire, the e-respondent was only able to see a unique code generated after submitting the Census questionnaire, which served as a proof of successful submission of the Census questionnaire and which the e-respondent handed to the enumerator during the field enumeration. The unique code was necessary for checking the scope of enumeration.

Was it possible to enter changes in the Census questionnaire in the self-enumeration phase?

If a person had not managed to fill in the questionnaire at once, it was possible to save the entered data and continue filling in the questionnaire later. The unfinished questionnaire could have been accessed as long as the self-enumeration phase (CAWI phase) lasted. If a person had filled in and submitted the questionnaire and the system had assigned him/her a unique code, it was no longer possible to make changes to the questionnaire.

Was it possible to enumerate two households with the same person’s credentials?

No. The e-Citizens digital portal automatically recognised the person who had logged in to the system using his/her credentials and set him/her as a reference person. One was able to enumerate his/her parents, their household and dwelling by accessing the e-Citizens digital portal and logging in with his/her mother's or father's credentials.

What if a person wanted to change the data after filling in the questionnaire and obtaining a unique code?

The review and change of the data provided were possible only for the person enumerated by someone else. If it was necessary to change the data for the person enumerated by someone else, he/she had to wait for the enumerator in the field enumeration phase (CAPI phase).

Was each person from a household enumerated with his/her own credentials?

No. Only one person from the household enumerated the dwelling, household and all persons in the dwelling via the e-Citizens digital portal. The person from the household who accessed the enumeration portal with his/her credentials became the reference person and was obliged to enumerate all members of the household.

What if only one person from a household was enumerated and other household members were not?

In that case, those data were considered incomplete. One person from the household should have enumerated the dwelling, household and all persons in the dwelling via the e-Citizens digital portal.

What if two persons in a household, using two different credentials, enumerated the same persons, household and dwelling?

The system accepted such entry and the duplication error had to be corrected in the processing phase of the Census data.

What if the e-respondent forgot to enumerate one of the persons?

When taking over the unique code, the e-respondent had to warn the enumerator that he/she had forgotten to enumerate one of the persons. The enumerator then filled in the Census questionnaire for that person on the spot.

What happened after completing the self-enumeration questionnaire?

Field enumeration phase (CAPI phase)

What was the field enumeration phase (CAPI phase)?

The field enumeration phase (CAPI phase) was the phase in which enumerators visited the addresses they were in charge of and enumerated all persons, households and dwellings at them.

When did the field enumeration phase (CAPI phase) take place?

The CAPI phase of the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2021 was conducted from 27 September to 14 November 2021.

What if no one had been at home when the enumerator arrived to the address?

If the enumerator did not find anyone at home at a particular address, he/she left a written notice and arranged a new date for the enumeration.

If the household had enumerated itself and expected to be absent most of the time, the unique code was written down on a paper and stuck on the door so that the enumerator could take it over. Furthermore, one was able to ask a neighbour whom he/she expected to be present when the enumerator arrived to hand his/her unique code over to the enumerator.

Did the enumerator visit the household that had enumerated itself?

The enumerator did come to all addresses, including those of the households that have enumerated themselves, in order to take over their unique codes.

Was the enumerator allowed to request identification documents?

The survey was based on a statement. The enumerator was not allowed to request identification documents from citizens.

Was the enumerator allowed into the dwelling?

The person being enumerated was not obliged to let the enumerator into the dwelling. The enumerator was not allowed to insist on entering the dwelling, in which case the household was enumerated in the hallway or in front of the house.

Below, you can access a specimen of the Census questionnaire in English. The Census questionnaire is an electronic form of a questionnaire used to collect data on persons, households and dwellings. The Census questionnaire had to be completed in the Croatian language and the Latin alphabet.

The Act on the Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Croatia in 2021
CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE 2021