What About Other Regions?
Data for other regions
The ABS provides data for a number of different types of region boundaries. Most ABS data is currently presented using the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC). There are seven classification structures available within the ASGC, each designed to suit a different purpose. Some structures cover the whole of Australia, while others cover only parts of Australia. A new edition of the ASGC was released each year to reflect boundary changes between editions with the final edition (July 2011) released in October 2011.
Some data collected from the Census of Population and Housing is presented using geographical structures specially designed for Census information called Census Geographic Areas. The new Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) has been used for the release of 2011 Census data, however this data is also available on ASGC Statistical Local Areas (SLAs). Other ABS data is also presented on commonly used non-ABS boundaries such as Natural Resource Management regions or Tourism Regions.
From July 2011 the ASGC is being progressively replaced by the ASGS. The ASGS brings all geographic classifications used by the ABS under the one umbrella. They are divided into two broad categories:
1. ABS structures, those regions which are defined and maintained by the ABS.
2. Non-ABS structures, those regions defined and maintained by other organisations, but for which the ABS releases data.
The ABS structures are a hierarchy of regions specifically developed for the release of particular ABS statistics. Mesh blocks are the basis for the larger regions of the ASGS. Non-ABS structures are approximated or built up directly from Mesh Blocks or Statistical Area Level 1s.
The regions defined in the ABS structures will not change until the next Census in 2016, although Non-ABS structures will be updated annually.
To learn more about the statistical geographic regions used by the ABS, head to the Geography portal.
Where to find regional data
The Locating regional and local data page helps you find regional data and includes a matrix listing data available free of charge on the ABS website by region. |
This page last updated 20 September 2012 | 
