In the interests of data comparability, the ABS urges users and providers of country data to collect, classify and disseminate data using the SACC. If any users still wish to see a concordance with the 1990 ASCCSS (Australian Standard Classification of Countries for Social Statistics), they should first refer to the concordances contained in the 1998 SACC (First Edition), which can be accessed via the ABS website (www.abs.gov.au).

Correspondences between the two most recent classification edition structures are provided here: Correspondence SACC 2nd Edn to SACC 1st Edn and Correspondence SACC 1st Edn to SACC 2nd Edn. Note that the SACC 1st Edn incorporates subsequent changes resulting from the three Revisions - 2.01, 2.02 and 2.03.

The concordances itemise the code linkages between the countries, detail the links between the major groups and the minor groups, and indicate the movement of particular countries between groups in the two structures. These concordances are fairly straightforward because, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the base-level units of the classifications (countries) retain a one-to-one relationship, and are unchanged.

In only a few instances has there been variation in SACC classification coding. At the Minor Group level, 21 was changed in name to United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, to reflect the amended definition of the United Kingdom.

In Minor Group 15, Pitcairn Islands was removed from 1599 Polynesia (excludes Hawaii), nec, to become its own category with code 1513. In Minor Group 21, Channel Islands (2101) was replaced with its components, 2107 Guernsey and 2108 Jersey. In Minor Group 24, 2408 Aland Islands (formerly coded to Finland) was added.

In Minor Group 32, a separate category of 3216 was added for Kosovo (formerly part of Serbia).

In Minor Group 41, 4199 North Africa, nec was removed from the classification, and its constituent countries grouped as 4108 Spanish North Africa.

New countries St Barthelemy, and St Martin (French part) were created in Minor Group 84. They were formerly coded to Guadeloupe.

Any SACC, Second Edition, changes that have resulted in a category being only part of its original self (such as Guadeloupe) are indicated by including the word 'part' after the name of the category involved.

The only additional changes are the name and spelling alterations in SACC, Second Edition, of Faeroe Islands to Faroe Islands, Kyrgyz Republic to Kyrgyzstan, Viet Nam to Vietnam, and the removal of 'Province' from after 'Taiwan' in China's description.