| Census Characteristics | 1970 | 1971 | 1973 | 1981 | 1982 | 1987 | 1987 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Title | Population and occupation census 1970 | Population, occupation, housing and building census of the German Democratic Republic 01.01.1971 | Microcensus 1973 | Population, occupation, housing and building census of the German Democratic Republic, 31.12.1981 | Microcensus 1982 | Population census 1987 | Microcensus 1987 | Microcensus 1991 | Microcensus 2001 |
| Census Agency | Federal Statistical Office and statistical offices of the LīŋŊander | Staatliche Zentralverwaltung fur Statistik of the German Democratic Republic | Federal Statistical Office | Staatliche Zentralverwaltung fīŋŊtistik of the German Democratic Republic | Federal Statistical Office | Federal Statistical Office and statistical offices of the LīŋŊänder | Federal Statistical Office | Federal Statistical Office | Federal Statistical Office |
| Population | Total population entitled to reside | All persons in households and communal establishments | Total population entitled to reside in households | All persons in households and communal establishments | Total population entitled to reside in households | Total population entitled to reside | Total population entitled to reside in households | Total population entitled to reside in households | Total population entitled to reside in households |
| Universe | 100% | 100% | 1% | 100% | 1% | 100% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| De jure or de facto | De jure | De jure | De jure | De jure | De jure | De jure | De jure | De jure | De jure |
| Enumeration unit | Household; person | Building; dwelling; person | Household | Building; dwelling; person | Household; person | Household | Household | Household | Household |
| Census day | 27 May 1970 | 1 January 1971 | April 1973 | 31 December 1981 | April 1982 | 25 May 1987 | 23-29 March 1987 | 22-28 April 1991 | 23-29 April 2001 |
| Field work period | The enumerators (interviewers) distributed the questionnaires to all households until 23 May and collected the completed questionnaires until 6 June. | detailed description on field work period in "Documentation about the 1971 Census of population, occupation, dwellings and buildings of the German Democratic Republic (Census of 1.1.1971)" pages 15 and 16 | The interviewer and the respondent made an appointment for an interview after the reference week. | To be described | The interviewer and the respondent made an appointment for an interview after the reference week. | 25 May 1987 | The interviewer and the respondent made an appointment for an interview after the reference week. | The interviewer and the respondent made an appointment for an interview after the reference week. | The interviewer and the respondent made an appointment for an interview after the reference week. |
| Enumeration forms used | 2 questionnaires: (f1) population census questionnaire: 90% of the population received a questionnaire comprising 18 questions, the remaining 10% received a questionnaire containing 39 questions; (f2) local unit questionnaire | Houshold questionnaire, dwelling questionnaire and building questionnaire | The following 4 questionnaires were intended for the whole sample:(f1) Questions addressed to the household members (personal questions, labour force participation, school attendance, education and continuing education, health insurance, old-age provision | To be described | 3 questionnaires, (f1) and (f2) intended for the whole 1%-sample, (f1) containing personal questions and questions on labour force participation, school attendance, education and continuing education, health insurance, old-age provision, economic activity | 2 questionnaires: (f1) population and occupation census comprising questions on the population, sources of livelihood, economic activity, education/training and commuting, and (f2) census of buildings and housing. | 3 questionnaires for the whole 1%-sample: (f1) questionnaire containing personal questions, questions on school attendance, economic activity, job-seekers, job characteristics, education and continuing education, livelihood, income, health insurance, old- | 2 questionnaires (f1) for the whole 1%-sample containing personal questions and questions on school attendance, labour force participation, job search, economic inactivity, current/earlier economic activity, economic activity, job characteristics, health | 1 questionnaire comprising the fixed standard programme: personal characteristics, family and household relationship, citizenship, main and secondary place of residence, information on statutory pension insurance, sources of livelihood, level of income. |
| Type of field work | Standardized interview | Standardized interview | Usually orally or in writing | Standardized interview | Usually orally or in writing | Standardized interview | Usually orally or in writing | Usually orally or in writing | Usually orally or in writing |
| Respondent | All persons in households and institutions, heads of institutions provide information for residents in the institution who are unable to answer the questions themselves | All persons in households and institutions, heads of institutions provide information for residents in the institution who are unable to answer the questions themselves | All persons in a household are either interviewed directly or an adult provides the information for the other (underage) household members | to be described | All persons in a household are either interviewed directly or an adult provides the information for the other (underage) household members | All persons in households and communal establishments | All persons in a household are either interviewed directly or an adult provides the information for the other (underage) household members | All persons in a household are either interviewed directly or an adult provides the information for the other (underage) household members | All persons in a household are either interviewed directly or an adult provides the information for the other (underage) household members |
| Coverage | 100% | 100% | 1% | 100% | 1% | 100% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Microdata sample characteristics | 1970 | 1971 | 1973 | 1981 | 1982 | 1987 | 1987 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Sample microdata source | Centre of Survey Research and Methodology | Federal Archive of Germany | Federal Statistical Office of Germany | Federal Archive of Germany | Federal Statistical Office of Germany | Statistical Offices of the LīŋŊänder | Federal Statistical Office of Germany | Federal Statistical Office of Germany | Federal Statistical Office of Germany |
| Sample design | To be decided | Systematic random sampling | The sample is drawn according to the following steps: a) arrangement by Land, administrative region (Regierungsbezirk), size class of municipality and size of household, b) numbering of the households, and c) drawing of all sets that do not end in the letters u,x,y,w,v,z, of an integer random number. | To be decided | The sample is drawn according to the following steps: a) arrangement by Land, administrative region (Regierungsbezirk), size class of municipality and size of household, b) numbering of the households, and c) drawing of all sets that do not end in the letters u,x,y,w,v,z, of an integer random number. | To be decided | The sample is drawn according to the following steps: a) arrangement by Land, administrative region (Regierungsbezirk), size class of municipality and size of household, b) numbering of the households, and c) drawing of all sets that do not end in the letters u,x,y,w,v,z, of an integer random number. | The sample is drawn according to the following steps: a) arrangement by Land, administrative region (Regierungsbezirk), size class of municipality and size of household, b) numbering of the households, and c) drawing of all sets that do not end in the letters u,x,y,w,v,z, of an integer random number. | The sample is drawn according to the following steps: a) arrangement by Land, administrative region (Regierungsbezirk), size class of municipality and size of household, b) numbering of the households, and c) drawing of all sets that do not end in the letters u,x,y,w,v,z, of an integer random number. |
| Sample unit | To be decided | Household | Households | To be decided | Households | To be decided | Households | Households | Households |
| Sample fraction | To be decided | 25 % | 0,40% | To be decided | 0,40% | To be decided | 0,40% | 0,40% | 0,40% |
| Sample fraction (private households) | - | 25 % | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sample fraction (institutional households) | - | 25 % | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sample size (person records) | to be decided | 4.100.000 | 245.864 | to be decided | 245.576 | to be decided | 245.824 | 320.608 | 330.300 |
| Sample size (private households) | - | 1.600.000 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sample size (institutional households) | - | 50.000 persons in 3.800 group quarters | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sample weights | To be decided | - | self-weighting: expansion factor = 250 | To be decided | Self-weighting: expansion factor = 250 | To be decided | Self-weighting: expansion factor = 250 | Self-weighting: expansion factor = 250 | Self-weighting: expansion factor = 250 |
| Units identified | 1970 | 1971 | 1973 | 1981 | 1982 | 1987 | 1987 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Dwellings | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vacant units | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Households | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Individuals | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Group quarters | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Settled/unsettled Population | No | No | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Special populations | Foreigners | Eine Beson | Foreigners | - | Foreigners | Foreigners | Foreigners | Foreigners | Foreigners |
| Unit definitions | 1970 | 1971 | 1973 | 1981 | 1982 | 1987 | 1987 | 1991 | 2001 |
| Dwellings | A dwelling, in terms of a survey unit, is defined as a self-contained set of rooms intended for living purposes which enable persons to keep their own household, ... and so on. | - | The main place of residence is defined as the dwelling that is predominantly used | to be described | The main place of residence is defined as the dwelling that is predominantly used | A dwelling, in terms of a survey unit, is defined as a self-contained set of rooms intended for living purposes which enable persons to keep their own household, ... and so on. | the main place of residence is defined as the dwelling that is predominantly used | The main place of residence is defined as the dwelling that is predominantly used | The main place of residence is defined as the dwelling that is predominantly used |
| Households | A household consists of all persons who live in the same dwelling and have a common housekeeping budget. But also persons living and keeping house alone as well as lodgers are counted as households. | All those persons belong to a household who live and keep house together. A person living and keeping house alone is considered a household and receives a household questionnaire. Subtenants are treated as separate households. | A household (private household) is defined as any group of persons who live together and form an economic unit as well as persons who live and keep house alone (e.g. single lodgers). The household can include relatives and non-relatives. Communal establis | to be described | A household (private household) is defined as any group of persons who live together and form an economic unit as well as persons who live and keep house alone (e.g. single lodgers). The household can include relatives and non-relatives. Communal establis | A household consists of all persons who live in the same dwelling and have a common housekeeping budget. But also persons living and keeping house alone as well as lodgers are counted as households. Persons occupying several dwellings are to be attributed | A household (private household) is defined as any group of persons who live together and form an economic unit as well as persons who live and keep house alone (e.g. single lodgers). The household can include relatives and non-relatives. Communal establis | A household (private household) is defined as any group of persons who live together and form an economic unit as well as persons who live and keep house alone (e.g. single lodgers). The household can include relatives and non-relatives. Communal establis | A household (private household) is defined as any group of persons who live together and form an economic unit as well as persons who live and keep house alone (e.g. single lodgers). The household can include relatives and non-relatives. Communal establis |
| Institutional population | - | Institutions were collective dwelling for the accommodation and care of citizens who for reasons of working, training or studying, or for educational, health, social or other reasons needed to be accommodated collectively. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Group quarters | Persons in institutions, homes or the like are covered if they live there, are registered at that address with the police or relevant authorities and, fully or partly, make use of communal catering arrangements or of any joint facilities. | Group quarters belong to institutional population | not covered | to be described | not covered | Communal establishments are public or private institutions in which, for social or religious purposes, persons live communally and are fully cared and provided for by the staff or institution. | not covered | Not covered | Not covered |
| Unsettled population | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
in collaboration with Minnesota Population Center 
