1216.0 - Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC), July 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/09/2010   
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THE ASGS

The diagram below summarises the structure of the ASGS.

Diagram: The ASGS Structure

The ASGS manual with digital Statistical Areas 1 to 4 and Greater Capital City Statistical Area boundaries will be published in December 2010.

The ASGS will become the new basis for the publication of the complete range of ABS statistics. The ABS encourages its adoption outside the ABS to facilitate the cross comparison of spatial statistics. The ASGC will continue to be published in its present form until July 2010, with a final abbreviated version published in July 2011, excluding Census Collection Districts (CDs). The 2011 Census of Population and Housing will be released on the 2011 ASGS and the abbreviated ASGC.

Statistical Areas Level 1 (SA1) are the smallest area for which a wide range of Population Census data will be released. They will be comparable in size to the current Census Collection District (CD).

Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) are designed to reflect functional areas. They are the level for which the majority of the ABS sub-state intercensal data will be available. SA2s will have a minimum population of 3,000 and a maximum of 25,000 and an average population of approximately 10,000 people.

Statistical Areas Level 3 (SA3) are a medium sized unit with a more variable population from approximately 30,000 to 130,000. They represent a regional break of each state and territory.

Statistical Areas Level 4 (SA4) will be used for the release of Labour Force Statistics and will have a population of approximately 200,000. They represent the broadest break up within each state and territory.

Greater Capital City Statistical Areas define the socio-economic extent of each of the state and territory capital cities and consequently extend well beyond the urban edge of the city.

Significant Urban Areas, Urban Centres and Localities, Section of State and Remoteness structures require data from the 2011 Census to be defined. The ABS intends to generate UC/L boundaries on a similar basis to the past. The move to Mesh Blocks will create some differences as they allow a more precise definition of the urban-rural boundary.

The non-ABS structures will be developed up to and beyond the 2011 Census of Population and Housing.

Those who have any questions about the new Geography, should e-mail <geography@abs.gov.au>.




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