Introductory aspects

Territorial codes are instruments that allow defined, delimited territories to be identified both simply and unequivocally. These territories can include everything from municipalities in Catalonia to countries in the world.

Territorial nomenclatures (also called geonomenclatures) are lists of territorial codes ordered according to a given criterion (alphabetical order, geographical location, etc.) and organised into different territorial levels, with a hierarchical relationship between these levels.

One example of a territorial nomenclature is the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (abbreviated NUTS), a list of European regions organised into different territorial levels (levels of local administration, levels of groups of local administrations, levels of decentralisation of the state organisation, regional levels, state levels).

The purpose of these instruments of statistical standardisation is to be able to territorially index statistical information, thus ensuring both the spatial and temporal comparability of this information. Additionally, in Catalonia, they also contribute to advancing the linguistic normalisation of Catalan.

Catalonia has generated a harmonized system of codification of the local public sector that is adapted to the needs of statistical activity and information on local authorities, in accordance with current legislation.

This system is managed and disseminated by Municat.

2. Regulations

3. Publications