The standard Nordic classification of land and its application in Sweden

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ansén, Hans¹

Note: [1] Hans Ansén is employed by Statistics Sweden at the Unit for Natural Resources and Environment, where he is working with land-use statistics. This article is derived from the experiences he has gained as secretary in a liaison group established by the Nordic Committee for Environmental Statistics in order to develop a Nordic standard classification of land and land use.

Abstract: A draft standard Nordic classification of land has been developed by the Nordic Committee for Environmental Statistics. The draft is based on ‘Draft standard international classification of land use’ developed by the ECE. The classification systems are identical at the one-digit level, while at the two- and three-digit levels there are some differences. The definitions were at some points at such variance with accepted Nordic practices that changes were inevitable. Several trial runs have been conducted in the Nordic countries applying the draft classification. In Sweden the system has been used for structuring a short publication entitled ‘Land use in Sweden’. Statistics Sweden produces statistics of land use in urban settlements from aerial photographs and maps. In this context, too, the Nordic standard classification of land constitutes the point of departure. However, interpretation errors are inevitable. For example, difficulties exist in differentiating between residential land, commercial land and land under mixed use.

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1985-3303

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 281-287, 1985