Introduction

Eurostat defines a metropolitan region (a) as an aggregate of one or more contiguous NUTS 3 areas ("components"), (b) to contain at least 250,000 residents, (c) to include the commuter belt around the city. A metro region may be redefined either by gaining or losing components to suit the above criteria, or because the corpus of NUTS 3 areas changed between NUTS vintages. We have synthesized published information into coherent lists ("geo code vintages"), which you can use to answer the question "at time T, what are the component areas N of metropolitan region M?"

When declaring geo codes, we account for the three possible circumstances:

1. The boundaries of an existing area change, but its name is retained: Replace the area by declaring a new geo code, and substitute into the "after" vintage.
2. A new area is created, usually in conjunction with the redefinition of an existing area: Declare a new geo code, and add to the "after" vintage.
3. An existing area is terminated, usually because it has fissioned: Retire the geo code from the "after" vintage.

Note that an area (hence geo code) may continue to be used for statistics even after it has been terminated from official lists. In this respect, we do not double-guess our historical sources.

Summary of mutations

Table 1. Counts of areas (not geo codes) at each geo level, and mutations between the vintages.

Specific mutations

Table 2. NUTS (2013) metropolitan regions retired.

Table 3. NUTS (2016) metropolitan regions added.

Table 4. NUTS (2013) 3 components retired.

Table 5. NUTS (2016) 3 components added.

Reference files

The reference file is an Excel workbook with a separate worksheet for each geo type, tabulating (as applicable) the area name, type, Eurostat code, Data Buffet geo code, and parent state.

The "after" geo vintage:

• Go to: DataBuffet.com » menu:Documentation » Reference Files » Geographies » Europe - NUTS 2016 and Metropolitan Definitions
• Direct link: NUTS2016.xlsx

The "before" geo vintage:

• Go to: ... » Geographies » Europe - NUTS 2013 and Metropolitan Definitions
• Direct link: NUTS2013.xlsx

References

• Metropolitan regions - Background (Eurostat)

See also

• Using Data Buffet: Geography changes
• Using Data Buffet: Geo wild cards
• Using Data Buffet: Geo lists
• Using Data Buffet: FIPS codes for geographies
• FAQ: Why doesn't Data Buffet use provider geo codes?