The reference territory for the dissemination of population censuses is metropolitan France and the following four overseas departments (DOM): Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Reunion and Martinique.

All administrative territories (municipality, municipal district, arrondissement, canton, EPCI, department and region) as well as study areas (employment zones, urban areas and urban units) are covered by the dissemination.

Mayotte, which became a DOM on 31 March 2011, retained its own system for collecting and disseminating census results until 2017, when it conducted its last general census. It now follows the same protocol as the other departments. The results of the first population census in 2023, which will be the cumulative result of annual surveys from 2021 to 2025, will be published in June 2026.

The overseas collectivities (COM) also have their own census and their own mechanism for disseminating the results.

The municipality level is the basic territorial division on which most of the other proposed zonings are based.

For sub-municipal dissemination, the basic level is the IRIS one. Municipalities with at least 10 000 inhabitants and most municipalities with 5 000 to less than 10 000 inhabitants are divided into IRIS

The data for year n are presented within the geographical boundaries in force on 1 January n+2 for the dissemination of the 2006 to 2015 renovated censuses.

From the 2016 census onwards, the data are presented in the latest geography available at the time of dissemination of the results, i.e. in n+3; except for the sub-municipal data and the detail files which remain in n+2 geography.

The results of the renewed censuses can only be properly compared with each other for periods of at least 5 years apart. For a shorter period, it is strongly advised not to compare two censuses.

For all years from 2006 to 2010, the comparison is made with the statistical results of 1999. From the 2011 results onwards, five-year comparisons can be made: 2006-2011, and then 2007-2012, etc. From most census dissemination products for year n, a link is provided to the n-5 results.

To facilitate comparisons over time, some indicators are also proposed for previous censuses, with the following reference dates:

1999: 8 March 1999 for metropolitan France and overseas departments,

1990: 5 March 1990 for metropolitan France and 15 March 1990 for the overseas departments,

1982: 4 March 1982 for metropolitan France and 9 March 1982 for the overseas departments,

1975: 20 February 1975 for metropolitan France and 16 October 1974 for the overseas departments,

1968: 1 March 1968 for metropolitan France and 16 October 1967 for the overseas departments.