Identification

Title

UK gridded population at 1 km resolution for 2021 based on Census 2021/2022 and Land Cover Map 2021

Abstract

This dataset contains gridded human population with a spatial resolution of 1 km x 1 km for the UK based on Census 2021 (Census 2022 for Scotland) and Land Cover Map 2021 input data. Data on population distribution for the United Kingdom is available from statistical offices in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland and provided to the public e.g. via the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Population data is typically provided in tabular form or, based on a range of different geographical units, in file types for geographical information systems (GIS), for instance as ESRI Shapefiles. The geographical units reflect administrative boundaries at different levels of detail, from Devolved Administration to Output Areas (OA), wards or intermediate geographies. While the presentation of data on the level of these geographical units is useful for statistical purposes, accounting for spatial variability for instance of environmental determinants of public health requires a more spatially homogeneous population distribution. For this purpose, the dataset presented here combines 2021/2022 UK Census population data on Output Area level with Land Cover Map 2021 land-use classes 'urban' and 'suburban' to create a consistent and comprehensive gridded population data product at 1 km x 1 km spatial resolution. The mapping product is based on British National Grid (OSGB36 datum). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/7beefde9-c520-4ddf-897a-0167e8918595

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/data/7beefde9-c520-4ddf-897a-0167e8918595

description: Download a copy of this data

function: download

https://data-package.ceh.ac.uk/sd/7beefde9-c520-4ddf-897a-0167e8918595.zip

description: Supporting information available to assist in re-use of this dataset

function: information

Unique resource identifier

code

https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/7beefde9-c520-4ddf-897a-0167e8918595

codeSpace

doi:

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

society

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Population Distribution - Demography

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2008-06-01

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

-8.648

East bounding longitude

1.768

North bounding latitude

60.861

South bounding latitude

49.864

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2021-01-01

End position

2022-12-31

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2025-02-26

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Census data from the Office of National Statistics, National Records for Scotland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency have been downloaded as CSV/Excel files. Land Cover Map 2021 raster data has been obtained from UKCEH. Output Area (/Data Zone) geography data (Extent of the Realm), were obtained for England & Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. The processing steps are detailed in the Supporting Documentation. To ensure consistency of the final product, total population numbers were compared, at each processing step, with the official 2021/2022 Census totals. As a result, the final output file is consistent with the Census total population for the UK in 2021.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2010-12-08

degree

explanation

Data format

name of format

TIFF

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

Constraint set

Limitations on public access

If you reuse this data, you should cite: Carnell, E., Tomlinson, S.J., Reis, S. (2025). UK gridded population at 1 km resolution for 2021 based on Census 2021/2022 and Land Cover Map 2021. NERC EDS Environmental Information Data Centre https://doi.org/10.5285/7beefde9-c520-4ddf-897a-0167e8918595

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

organisation name

email address

enquiries@ceh.ac.uk

web address

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0870-1955

description: ORCID is an open, non-profit, community-driven effort to create and maintain a registry of unique researcher identifiers and a transparent method of linking research activities and outputs to these identifiers.

function: information