Comparability

Comparability - geographical

Internationally there is a high degree of comparability with the national accounts of other countries because the Danish national accounts are compiled in accordance with the definitions in the European System of National Accounts ESA2010.

Comparability over time

As in national accounts, efforts have been made to achieve a high degree of data comparability over time. However, changes in the systems and the development of new methods imply that regional accounts are available in six different series from 1970 onwards, which are not comparable.

The first version of the regional accounts covers the gross domestic product at factor cost in counties for the period 1970-91 at current prices and, in addition, employment in counties 1981-91. The underlying method of these series has primarily been based on income statistics, taking adjustments for commuting into account. The data are consistent with the SNA68/ESA79 national accounts.

The second version of the regional accounts contains gross domestic product at factor cost both at current and 1980-prices and also total employment in counties and 66 industries for the period 1988-95. The data are consistent with the SNA68/ESA79 national accounts. Furthermore, gross domestic product figures (not by kind-of-activity) are available for each county, covering the period 1988-95. These series are created on the basis of a highly detailed system and they are closely related to the data sources used in the national accounts. Due to changes in the system of national accounts these data are not comparable with the latest figures.

The third version of regional accounts comprises the main national accounts aggregates e.g. gross value added both at current and chained 2000- prices and also employment covering the period 1993-2006, for 277 municipalities and 130 industries. Furthermore, gross domestic product figures (not by kind-of-activity) are available for each county. These data are consistent with the SNA93/ESA95 national accounts.

The fourth version of regional accounts comprises the main national accounts aggregates e.g. gross value added both at current and chained 2000- prices and also employment covering the period 1993-2009, for 99 municipalities and 130 industries. In addition gross capital formation as well as primary and disposable income covering the period 2000-2009.

The fifth version of regional accounts comprises the main national accounts aggregates e.g. gross value added both at current and chained 2005- prices for 99 municipalities and 117 industries covering the period 1993 onwards.

The sixth version of regional accounts comprises the main national accounts aggregates e.g. gross value added both at current and chained 2010- prices for 99 municipalities and 117 industries covering the period 1993 onwards. This series are consistent with the SNA2008/ESA2010 national accounts.

Coherence - cross domain

There is a close relationship between the national accounts and the regional accounts. Regional accounts are consistent with the national accounts, as the sum of the figures for each region with respect to each individual variable is equal to the national accounts value for the same variables. Consequently, each variable can be interpreted in the same manner as the national accounts variables, and the data sources and methods used in the national accounts are part of regional accounts. As mentioned, the regional accounts are based on guidelines set out in ESA2010 and are thereby directly comparable with other regional accounts from the EU Member States.

Coherence - internal

There is per se fully internal consistency in the National Accounts.