GIS Powers Albania’s Census

Albania—tucked into the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe—is home to dramatic coastlines and mountain ranges as well as 2.4 million people. Official statistics gathered about these residents guide decisions that shape communities, investments, and the country’s future.

The country’s National Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) collects and shares authoritative data that helps leaders understand where people live, how their neighborhoods have changed, what challenges they face, and what resources they need. In addition, census field staff travel to remote villages, analysts check the accuracy of every detail, and technologists build platforms that make information accessible to everyone.

Powering this work is geographic information system (GIS) technology. Beginning in the early 2000s, INSTAT staff began using GIS to link statistics to real-world locations, turning raw data into insights that help shape policies and improve lives across Albania. The GIS tools helped INSTAT staff plan operations and collect accurate information.

As INSTAT looked for new ways to use GIS, the organization focused on two needs: tracking census progress in real time and better disseminating data to the public. In 2023, INSTAT introduced real-time dashboards, mobile apps, and data platforms—all powered by GIS.

Before the 2023 Census began, INSTAT needed a clear and accurate view of where people lived across Albania. Staff updated the country’s entire inventory of buildings and dwellings. Using GIS feature classes in an enterprise geodatabase and web applications, staff digitized building footprints, entrances, and key details. This fieldwork helped INSTAT redraw census areas, making it easier for teams to cover every part of the country.

During the census, INSTAT rolled out several digital tools to support fieldwork and monitor progress in near real time. Enumerators used mobile apps to report daily results, such as interviews and household counts. Managers could track census coverage and respond quickly to any issues.

To streamline fieldwork and manage data, INSTAT relied on advanced GIS tools in ArcGIS Online—a secure, scalable software as a service (SaaS) platform. Staff built real-time dashboards with ArcGIS Dashboards, supported by feature layers in ArcGIS Enterprise. Data moved from CSPro Server to ArcGIS Enterprise through extract, transform, and load (ETL) processes using Python SDK and ModelBuilder, keeping updates timely and data quality high.

One key web application was the monitoring dashboard, which connected directly to the Census CSPro Questionnaire. This tool let staff track census coverage, progress, and data quality almost instantly. The dashboard showed updates for each municipality, including individual enumeration areas.

In previous years, staff relied on delayed reports and manual updates. “Monitoring census progress in almost real time was a major shift for staff compared to previous censuses,” said Ledjo Seferkolli, GIS specialist at INSTAT.

“With the live Census CSpro Questionnaire app and GIS dashboard, staff working on census activities could instantly see which areas lagged, which enumerators needed help, and where coverage was complete. Daily progress reports became almost automatic and much more accurate, cutting reporting time and reducing the need for intervention,” explained Seferkolli.

The application includes specific checks and warnings based on indicators such as the location of enumerations, the number of dwellings enumerated, household structure (size, gender, and age), and other variables. Headquarters, local offices, supervisors, and field controllers all used it to monitor performance, spot problems, and respond quickly during data collection.

“This almost real-time monitoring helped the entire chain of census staff make the fastest decisions—for example, if an enumerator completed fewer or more questionnaires than expected, the dashboard signaled a warning and prompted intervention from supervisors,” said Seferkolli.

INSTAT has also developed other GIS applications to support field operations:

• Issue Manager: Census staff could report and resolve fieldwork problems quickly, improving teamwork and agility, based on real-time dashboard displays.
• Map Updating Fieldwork: Enumerators updated building and dwelling data on the go with this mobile tool. The custom application was built with ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript, a powerful, modern web development library that supports the latest releases of ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online.
• GIS Dashboard: Staff used this web app to assign and monitor GIS support tasks during fieldwork.

Together, these tools gave INSTAT the power to monitor census progress as it happened, improve data quality from the start, and share results with the public faster, setting a new standard for transparency and efficiency in national statistics.

Statistical offices often share data through tables, graphs, maps, news releases, and public-use files. These formats help inform policy, planning, and public understanding. However, they can be slow to update and hard to interpret. For the 2023 Census, INSTAT set out to create a more modern, accessible way to share data with the public.

With support from Esri Partner TeamDev Srl., INSTAT launched two platforms: Geodata Hub and WebGIS. These tools were designed to improve detail, quality, accessibility, and interoperability.

INSTAT’s approach to sharing geospatial data followed key principles from the European Statistics Code of Practice: impartiality, objectivity, accessibility, and clarity. The strategy also matched Albania’s Law on Official Statistics, INSTAT’s Census Strategic Document, and confidentiality rules. It focused on:

• Following general dissemination guidelines under statistical law.
• Using multiple platforms to share data.
• Making official statistics easier to access.
• Complying with the INSPIRE Directive.
• Applying best practices for tables, graphs, maps, and written explanations.

To build Geodata Hub, INSTAT staff used ArcGIS Hub—a cloud-based platform that helps people and organizations share trusted content. Geodata Hub gives the public access to statistical and geospatial data, including maps, tables, and publications.

Because location-based information makes statistics easier to interpret and analyze, the platform now serves a wide audience—including residents, businesses, academics, researchers, and government agencies. Open access encourages reuse across different systems and applications. Data is free to download, interoperable, and ready for new insights.

“Citizens, businesses, and other users can now explore indicators at very detailed geographic levels, compare areas visually, and download custom datasets—features that printed maps, tables, or static PDFs simply can’t offer,” said Seferkolli.

To make the census story even more engaging, INSTAT staff turned to ArcGIS StoryMaps. This interactive format combines maps, text, images, and multimedia to showcase 100 years of census history in Albania.

“These tools changed how users access census data: by making the data interactive, map-based, and available on demand, many citizens find the platform easier to understand than traditional statistical reports because the maps let them instantly see differences between regions,” said Seferkolli.

Beyond making data more visual, Geodata Hub centralizes access to data and tools—all in one place. The site is also highly accessible, supporting screen readers, keyboard navigation, and alternative text for maps and spatial layers to ensure users who are blind can access census data.

The INSTAT team also wanted a platform where users could analyze, download, and share geospatial data without needing specialized GIS software. Using ArcGIS Experience Builder, the team created INSTAT’s WebGIS platform. This tool supports interactive mapping and spatial analysis, making GIS data easier to use in many fields.

INSTAT made selected datasets (GRID) available through INSPIRE View and Feature Download services using ArcGIS INSPIRE Open Data. These datasets were synchronized from PxWeb with a custom ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript application, expanding access to official statistics.

By implementing ArcGIS technology, INSTAT built high-quality datasets and published census maps online, replacing limited printed reports with web-based access. This move cut costs and made information available to anyone with a browser.

“Using GIS greatly improved work in the field and in the office,” said Seferkolli. “Large-scale operations now run on mobile apps that deliver better quality, high accuracy, and real-time monitoring.”

The new approach also strengthened collaboration. Departments share data on an enterprise-wide platform, and mobile apps connect field and office teams. Managers no longer depend on technicians to create maps—they can build their own statistical maps in a browser and use them in daily work.

Seferkolli offered this advice for other national statistics offices considering a similar GIS transformation: “Keep the tools simple and user-friendly. GIS transformation is not a one-off project, but a foundation for modernizing the entire statistical production process.”