Official Statistics: Principles and Practices,
Organization and Management

This website contains various materials covering official statistics and practices, compiled by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD).

The United Nations Statistical Commission, in its Special Session of 11-15 April 1994, adopted the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, earlier adopted by the Conference of European Statisticians and its parent body the Economic Commission for Europe. Part of this website is devoted to the text of the Principles and to the defining and essential elements behind each principle.

The Good Practices Database, established in 2000, provides reference material on the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, in particular examples of policies and practices in various countries for implementing the various elements of the Principles (including relevant links to statistical agency websites). The examples of these relevant policies and practices of various countries can be accessed through links from the Fundamental Principles pages for each principle, or by using the search facility of the Good Practices Database.

The Handbook of Statistical Organization deals with the fundamentals of national systems of official statistics: general principles, data collection and respondent policies, principles of organization and management, as well as dissemination guidelines. The third edition is now presented on this site in final draft form (ST/ESA/STAT/SER.F/88/DRAFT).

Various editions and drafts of the Handbook have formed the basis of training workshops on topics like the "Organization and management of statistical systems" or the "Dissemination of official statistics". Training material used in such workshops is presented on this page.

Finally, some links to other interesting sites related to official statistics are provided.