[Spatial mobility projections of the population census: comparison with other sources]

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Sociology
• Geography

Background:

• Italian census data's potential for analyzing spatial mobility is underexplored.
• Traditional sources like population registers have limitations in capturing detailed mobility patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the descriptive capacity of Italian census data for spatial mobility analysis.
• To systematically compare Italian census data with population registers regarding mobility information.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of data collection items and published measurements.
• Examination of data meaning and comparability between census and register sources.
• Application of 1981 census migration data (1976-1981) to national and regional levels.

Main Results:

• The Italian census provides a richer dataset for understanding spatial mobility compared to population registers.
• Analysis revealed specific migration flows within Italy during the 1976-1981 period.
• The Veneto region served as a key case study for detailed migration flow analysis.

Conclusions:

• Italian census data is a powerful tool for studying population spatial mobility.
• Census data offers superior insights into migration dynamics than traditional registers.
• Further research can leverage census data for nuanced demographic and geographic studies.