The National Address List for Statistical Purposes is a nationwide address repository maintained by the IBGE. Created in 2005 after the systematization of data collected by the 2000 Census, this list presents information on housing units and establishments spread all over the country.

It is fully updated every Population Census edition. Before the Census operation, and in order to support it, the list was updated in two different ways: a wider, but partial way, based on the inclusion of administrative records such as CPF (Individual Taxpayer Registration) addresses and another one, more focused, supported by field operations of local branch teams. According to this procedure, the branches will be visited by the person in charge of the update, so that existing addresses go back to the list and the ones not found are registered in it. Besides information that locate the address, this professional’s work also consists of characterizing it by type, into categories of housing unit or establishments; and type of construction.

An updated address lists helps IBGE surveys successfully reach their informants. CNEFE is used as a tool for persons to work on planning, dimension the operation effectively and, in the case of sample surveys, it is an essential input for the selection of address to be part of collection. These data consist of an important source for portraying the Brazilian territory and reflecting on their dynamics.