Statistical Grouping of Municipalities 2006

The statistical grouping of municipalities is a classification developed by Statistics Finland for describing the degree of urbanisation and it has been in use since 1989. It divides municipalities by the proportion of the population living in urban settlements and by the population of the largest urban settlement into urban, semi-urban and rural municipalities. It is used both as the regional division of statistics compilation and in chargeable special surveys.

An urban settlement is not dependent on the administrative regional division, so it can stretch over the area of several municipalities.

Starting from 24 October 2011, the statistical grouping of municipalities is based on the definition of urban settlements made once a year and on data thus obtained about the population living in urban settlements.

An older statistical grouping of municipalities than this is based on the definition of urban settlements made in connection with population censuses every five years and on data thus obtained about the population living in urban settlements.

The classification describes municipalities by degree of urbanisation and rurality better than the administrative division into towns and other municipalities (municipality form classification). Since 1995, a municipality has been able to decide independently whether to become a town and when the decision enters into force. In the statistics, the statistical grouping of municipalities replaces the division into towns and other municipalities.

Concept of urban settlement:

The definition of urban settlement used in population censuses has been approved by the Nordic committee on population and labour statistics. According to the definition, all groups of buildings with at least 200 inhabitants, where the distance between the buildings is usually no more than 200 metres are considered urban settlements.

In 1990, urban settlements were defined automatically on the basis of the coordinate data of the buildings in the Central Population Register and the persons living in them. Urban settlements are defined once every five years in connection with statutory population censuses. The definition of urban settlements is based on the population and building stock data according to the situation on 31 December 2000.

Changes on 1 January 2005:

The category of Loimaa (430) changed from an urban municipality (1) to a semi-urban municipality (2). The category of Ulvila (886) changed from an urban (1) to semi-urban municipality (2).

Changes on 1 January 2001:

The category of Asikkala (016) changed from a semi-urban (2) to rural municipality (3).

The categories of Elimäki (044), Halikko (073), Kuhmo (290), Mynämäki (503), Närpiö (545) and Ähtäri (989) changed from a rural (3) to semi-urban municipality (2).

The category of Kiiminki (255) changed from a rural (3) to urban municipality (1).

The statistical grouping of municipalities is a classification compiled for national needs.