MAIN STRUCTURE OF THE AUSTRALIAN STANDARD GEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION

MAIN STRUCTURE OF THE AUSTRALIAN STANDARD GEOGRAPHICAL
CLASSIFICATION (ASGC)
PURPOSE
The Main Structure of the ASGC is used to collect and disseminate a broad
range of ABS social, demographic and economic statistics. Although the Main
Structure is the most widely used and has broad application, the other structures
are equally important to their own purposes.
THE STRUCTURE
The Main Structure has five hierarchical levels at Population Census times,
comprising in ascending order: CDs-SLAs-SSDs-SDs-S/Ts. In non-census years,
CDs are undefined and the Main Structure thus has only four levels of hierarchy.
In this structure, CDs aggregate to form SLAs, SLAs aggregate to form SSDs
and this aggregation principle continues up the remaining hierarchical levels. At
each hierarchical level, the component spatial units (e.g. SLAs) collectively cover
all of Australia without gaps or overlaps.
Tables
Details of the Main Structure are shown in the following tables.
Broad Main Structure
(showing three hierarchical levels: S/T-SD-SSD)
Example:
S/T
1

SD

SSD
NEW SOUTH
WALES
Hunter
Newcastle
Hunter SD Bal

10
05
10


Detailed Main Structure

(showing four hierarchical levels: S/T-SD-SSD-SLA)
Example:
S/T
1

SD

SSD

10
05

SLA
NEW SOUTH WALES
Hunter
Newcastle


1720
4650

Cessnock (C)

Lake Macquarie (C)

2700
3050

Hunter SD Bal
Dungog (A)
Gloucester (A)

10