MAIN STRUCTURE

PURPOSE

The Main Structure of the Australian Statistical Geography Standard is used to disseminate a broad range of Australian Bureau of Statistics social, demographic and economic statistics, as well as being widely used by other organisations . It is broadly based on the concept of a functional area. The functional area is the area within which many people commute or travel to access services. Depending on the level in the Main Structure hierarchy, this area may be a rural town and it's hinterland, a regional city, an urban commercial hub or a capital city central business district. For smaller areas they may represent neighbourhoods or communities.


THE STRUCTURE

The structure has seven hierarchical levels comprising in ascending order: Mesh Block (MB), Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1), Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3), Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), State and Territory (S/T), and Australia (AUS). Each level directly aggregates to the level above. Therefore, SA1s are aggregates of Mesh Blocks and aggregate to SA2s. This principle continues up through the remaining levels of the hierarchy. At each hierarchical level, the component geospatial units collectively cover all of Geographic Australia (as defined in Definition of Australia) without gaps or overlaps.


THE HIERARCHICAL LEVELS

Mesh Block (MB)

Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1)

Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2)

Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3)

Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4)

State and Territories (S/T)
Australia (AUS)