Basic statistical unit
A basic statistical unit (grunnkrets) is the smallest geographic unit that Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) publishes statistics for. Norway is divided into around 14,500 of them, and they are the reason you can see population figures, income and age distribution for a neighbourhood and not just for a whole municipality.
The basic statistical unit has an eight-digit code made up of three parts: a four-digit municipality number, a two-digit sub-area and a two-digit unit. 03010101 is therefore unit 01 in sub-area 01 in Oslo. A common mistake is to assume the code is longer; it is eight digits, no more and no less, and the unit is always identified together with the municipality number, because the unit number on its own is not unique nationally.
SSB draws the boundaries according to four criteria: the unit must be geographically continuous, it must be stable over time, it must be small enough to give flexible regional statistics, and it must be as uniform as possible in terms of natural and industrial conditions, transport links and building structure. The stability requirement is what makes the unit usable for time series: a unit redrawn every year could not be compared with itself. The boundaries are still adjusted when municipalities merge and when large developments take place, so an analysis spanning such a break must be checked against the current division.
The unit is a statistical division, not an administrative body. No decisions are made at basic statistical unit level, and the unit has no role in the Planning and Building Act. That sets it apart from the city district, which only the four largest municipalities have and which is a political level there with its own committee. The sub-area sits between the two: it groups units within a municipality and is not an administrative body either.
For property work, the basic statistical unit is the resolution that actually answers neighbourhood questions. Population growth, household size, income level and education level vary a great deal between units in the same city district, and an average at municipality level hides exactly the variation that a retail analysis or a housing project assessment is looking for. Privacy sets the lower limit: SSB suppresses figures for units with few residents, so a sparsely populated unit may be missing values for some variables.
In Placepoint, the basic statistical unit is both a map layer and a panel. Turn on the demographics layers and you get the SSB figures drawn unit by unit on the map, and clicking a unit opens the area panel with the totals for that unit. You can also look up a unit directly in Search without zooming there first.
How the dataset appears on the map
The dataset is part of the map layer Business as Main Industry per Basic Statistical Unit:
From Placepoint's glossary: Grunnkrets
More information: SSB: Standard for delområde- og grunnkretsinndeling, SSB: Klassifikasjoner og kodelister
English: Basic statistical unit (Norwegian-specific, smallest SSB geography).
Frequently asked questions
What is a basic statistical unit?
The smallest geographic unit SSB publishes statistics for. Norway has around 14,500 of them. They are designed to give stable statistics at neighbourhood level, not to administer anything.
How many digits does a basic statistical unit code have?
Eight. A four-digit municipality number, a two-digit sub-area and a two-digit unit, so that 03010101 is unit 01 in sub-area 01 in Oslo. The unit number is not unique without the municipality number in front of it.
What is the difference between a basic statistical unit and a city district?
A city district is a political level with its own committee, and only Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger have one. The basic statistical unit is purely statistical, exists across the whole country and is much smaller. A city district consists of many basic statistical units.
Why are figures missing for some basic statistical units?
SSB suppresses values for units with few residents, so that individuals cannot be identified. A sparsely populated unit may therefore be missing income or age distribution even though the population figure is shown.
Where do I find basic statistical units in Placepoint?
As a map layer under Demographics, and as a panel when you click a unit on the map. You can also look the unit up directly in Search.