In the Population and Housing Census, which starts at the end of the year, among else, people will be able to give an assessment of their health. Health questions in the same wording were also included in the census ten years ago, which is why the results will provide an overview of Estonian people’s health and how it has changed in a decade.

The places where people live have been recorded in one way or another for centuries. Previously, the place of registration could have been a church, municipality government, city address board, housing board or the Population Register. In recent decades, developed countries have found that register data are usually more accurate than survey data, and so population censuses have also begun to use them. Back in 2011, eight European Union countries conducted the census on a register basis: in addition to the Nordic countries, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Slovenia.

Researchers and officials have a special interest to find out through the census how many people living in Estonia have two nationalities and speak two mother tongues. Although information on nationality and mother tongue is also available in the population register, it is the first time that it is possible to choose two options in the census questionnaire.

During the first days of June, Statistics Estonia tested readiness to conduct an online survey of the Population and Housing Census in a new survey application. According to the census project manager Liina Osila, the testing was successful and Statistics Estonia is technologically ready for the census.

Latvia conducted a census based entirely on register data on the first day of this year, and it can be considered as a complete success. In addition to various databases, a large amount of information from private companies was used to specify and compare information, for example, on housing. The first most important result of the census: last year, Latvia had the lowest population growth in a hundred years.

Urmet Lee, who became the Director General of Statistics Estonia at the beginning of August, assures that we are ready for the big e-census of Estonia. We asked him to explain what is going to be different this time and why everyone should participate in the population census.

According to Statistics Estonia, in the second quarter of 2021, the Dwelling Price Index increased by 16.1% compared to the same quarter of 2020 and by 2.6% compared to the first quarter of this year.

In August 2021, the producer price index of industrial output, which expresses changes in the producer prices of industrial goods manufactured in Estonia for the domestic market and for export, increased by 1.7% compared to July 2021 and by 15.5% compared to August 2020.

According to Statistics Estonia, in 2021, the biggest increase compared to the previous year occurred in people’s use of the internet for participating in online courses. The popularity of e-commerce also grew, with 62% of the population aged 16–74 having made online purchases. Among enterprises, the use of enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management software continues to increase. Enterprises are also trying out AI technologies.

According to Statistics Estonia and Eesti Pank, in the second quarter, Estonia’s exports of services grew by 46% and imports of services by 125% year on year. Exports and imports of services amounted to 1.8 billion euros. Foreign trade in services was affected the most by growth in telecommunications, computer and information services, and transport services.

According to Statistics Estonia, in July, exports of goods increased by 29% and imports by 27% year on year. Trade growth was significantly influenced by the increase in the exports and imports of mineral fuels and base metals and articles of base metal.

According to Statistics Estonia, in the second quarter of 2021, there were 10,542 job vacancies in the enterprises, institutions and organisations of Estonia. The number increased by 30% year on year. More than 12,000 persons left their jobs on the employer’s initiative.