About the Data Archive

Survey, census and administrative document microdata are invaluable resources for government planners, market analysts, and academic researchers. They constitute important and irreplaceable assets which need to be managed in a way that encourages their widest possible use and re-use, while protecting the privacy of respondents.

The NSO Data Archive (NSODA) has been established to:

• Promote best practices and international standards for the documentation of NSO microdata,
• Promote the effective use of existing survey, census and administrative document data for statistical and research purposes, 
• Provide equitable access to microdata in the interest of all citizens, by protecting confidentiality and following international recommendations and good practice,
• Ensure the long term preservation of microdata and the related metadata, and their continued viability and usability in the future.

The NSODA pursues these objectives within the framework of the national legislation and of the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Statistics. Where microdata cannot be released due to confidentiality or other reasons, the NSODA provides the public with detailed metadata and other publicly available materials.