Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union. It collects and publishes high-quality, harmonized statistics from across Europe. For GIS users, Eurostat provides detailed spatial data on population, economy, environment, and infrastructure. This data helps map trends across EU member states, regions, and cities.
What Is Eurostat?
Eurostat operates under the European Commission. Its mission is to provide reliable statistics at the European level. This supports decision-making by EU institutions and national governments. All data is freely accessible. It covers all 27 EU countries plus candidates and partners.
Types of Data Available
Eurostat offers structured datasets in many categories. The most GIS-relevant include:
Demographics
- Population counts by age and sex
- Population density
- Migration and urbanization patterns
Economy and Employment
- Regional GDP
- Unemployment and labor force data
- Business counts by industry and size
Education and Health
- Education attainment
- School and university statistics
- Life expectancy and causes of death
Environment and Energy
- Land cover and land use
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- Waste and recycling rates
Transport and Infrastructure
- Road, rail, and air transport
- Commuting patterns
- Logistics infrastructure
GIS and Geospatial Tools
Eurostat supports spatial analysis through several tools and datasets:
GISCO (Geographic Information System of the Commission)
- Provides shapefiles and GeoJSONs of administrative boundaries.
- Includes NUTS levels (NUTS0, NUTS1, NUTS2, NUTS3) and LAUs (Local Administrative Units).
- Offers coastline and population grids.
GISCO files are ready for use in QGIS, ArcGIS, or browser-based tools like Atlas.
NUTS and LAU Explained
Eurostat data is often organized by these geographic levels:
- NUTS0 – Country level (e.g., France, Germany)
- NUTS1 – Major socio-economic regions
- NUTS2 – Basic regions for policy (often provinces)
- NUTS3 – Small regions for detailed stats (like counties)
- LAU – Local units (like municipalities or cities)
Every area has a unique code. These codes link statistical data with GIS boundaries.
Accessing the Data
You can access Eurostat data through:
- ec.europa.eu/eurostat – Main portal
- Data Browser – Interactive tool for viewing and downloading tables
- Bulk Download Facility – For larger datasets
- Eurostat API – For developers
- GISCO Portal – For shapefiles and map layers
Formats include CSV, TSV, SDMX, and GeoJSON.
Common Use Cases in GIS
Regional Development
Map GDP or unemployment across NUTS regions.
Health and Demographics
Explore life expectancy, aging populations, or healthcare access.
Transport and Urban Planning
Analyze commuting patterns, modal share, or infrastructure density.
Environment
Overlay emissions, land use, or water use with regional boundaries.
Education and Social Policy
Map school attendance, education levels, or digital access.
Tips for Working with Eurostat Data
- Use the correct NUTS level – NUTS2 is common for EU funding analysis, NUTS3 for local studies.
- Join on region codes – All data and maps use standard EU region codes (e.g., FR10 for Île-de-France).
- Normalize indicators – Use per capita or per km² metrics to compare regions.
- Use the latest vintage – NUTS boundaries are updated roughly every 3 years.
- Explore population grids – For high-resolution mapping beyond administrative zones.
Licensing and Use
Eurostat data is free to use, including for commercial purposes.
It is published under the European Commission’s reuse policy, which allows redistribution with proper attribution.
