Population: key data sources

Census 2001

The General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) maintains the SCROL (Scottish Census Results On-Line) web site which was created to encourage the use of, and widen access to, the results of the 2001 Census in Scotland. In terms of population statistics, this site has a range of population tables including populations broken down by age, gender, living arrangements and marital status, and these are available at a number of geographical levels from health boards to census output areas. Additionally, the census provides the only comprehensive estimates of ethnic minority populations broken down to small areas. Household composition statistics are also available broken-down into a wide range of tables. The GROS provides a set of CDs with a more detailed and extensive set of data tables and will also undertake ad hoc analyses on request.

Government Actuary's Department - Population Projections

The Government Actuary's Department produces population projections by age and sex for the United Kingdom and constituent countries every two years. These full sets of projections are based on a review of all the underlying assumptions regarding fertility, mortality and net migration. The latest set of full projections are 2004-based and were published on 20 October 2005.

General Register Office for Scotland (GROS)

The Registrar General's Annual Review of Demographic Trends can be accessed from the web-site along with its accompanying vital statistics tables. Previous years' reports are also available. There are many other demographic statistics available in their Online Data Library and a Customer Services team help with ad hoc queries. 

Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics

The SNS web site provides annual mid year population estimates over recent years for all persons, children, working age adults and pensioners by local authority. The site also provides population estimates for the resident population (all persons and split by gender) on the last Census day, 29 April 2001. Data are given by intermediate geographies, electoral wards, Scottish parliamentary constituencies, local authorities, health boards and Scotland level by five-year age groups. All the tables can be downloaded as spreadsheet files.


International Population Data

Scotland and European Health for All (HfA) Database

This ScotPHO/WHO Regional Office for Europe database of health indicators can be interrogated to show population estimates by country, including the UK and Scotland.

WHO Mortality Database

The World Health Organisation Statistics Information System (WHOSIS) hosts the WHO Mortality Database which, along with mortality files, provides a file of population estimates (by age quintile, gender, year and country) for WHO member states. This file is provided in ASCII (comma separated values) format for ease of downloading.

World Population Prospects Population Database

The United Nations maintains this on-line resource, which provides population breakdowns by country and region across the world.