Central Statistical Office of Poland Information Portal

Classification of Territorial Units for Statistics – abbreviated as NUTS (from the French: Nomenclature des Unités territoriales statistiques; also known as: Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) is a geographical standard for statistical division of the economic territory of the EU Member States into three regional levels of certain classes of the population. It has been established in order to enable the collection, compilation and dissemination of harmonised regional statistics in the European Union (e.g. data on regional accounts, demography, labour market and information society). The NUTS classification is the basis for the application of regional policies in the EU Member States and it is essential for socio-economic development analysis of the regions. It was introduced by the Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003[1], and entered into force on 11 July 2003, replacing the earlier “Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)” established by Eurostat in cooperation with national statistical offices.

Information on the NUTS is available on the Eurostat website:

• Glossary: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)  
• Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics – Overview
• Publications of Eurostat on the  NUTS classification

• The history of the NUTS classification
• Principles for creation and development of NUTS units
• Number of NUTS units in the Member States of the EU
• The NUTS classification in Poland
• The classification of territorial units for statistics in the non-Member States of the EU