World Statistics Day

World Statistics Day History

World Statistics Day is a global observance that emphasises the role and importance of statistics in shaping our societies. Established by the United Nations, this day strives to showcase the significance of reliable, timely, and impartial statistics in ensuring transparency, good governance, and inclusive growth. Key aspects of the observance span a broad range of topics, from education to agriculture to healthcare economics, highlighting the critical influence that data holds in policy formation, development strategies, and evaluating global progress towards sustainable development.

The United Nations General Assembly announced the establishment of World Statistics Day in 2010 in recognition of the importance of statistics in shaping decisions in the 21st century. Australians, alongside the global community, have come to appreciate the observance for highlighting the significance of statistics in various aspects of life, including public policy, business decision-making, and even sports strategies. For instance, data has been of paramount importance for Australia in managing and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to inform timely measures that address public health concerns.

In Australia, World Statistics Day is marked by raising awareness about the importance of official statistics and the work of statisticians. Prominent organisations such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics participate, providing lectures, seminars, and materials that emphasise the use of data and statistics in national development. Additionally, schools, universities, and think tanks host events to engage the broader Australian community. Typically observed on 20th of October, World Statistics Day brings together a nation deeply connected with the value of evidence-based decision-making.

Facts about World Statistics Day

• The theme for World Statistics Day in 2025 was Driving change with quality statistics and data for everyone. In 2024 the theme was Empowering Data for Sustainable Development.
• It was not until the 19th century that statistics began to include all things related to collection, summary and analysis of data. Before the 19th century, data was mainly used to total resources, typically for military and tax purposes around the world.
• In Australia, population censuses have been conducted by the ABS every five years since 1961.
• Australia was the first country in the world to produce a national set of digital topographic databases, effectively setting a new world standard for the collection, management, and dissemination of topographic information.

In the News and Trending in Australia for World Statistics Day

Top things to do in Australia for World Statistics Day

• Spread awareness about the holiday by using the hashtag #WorldStatisticsDay #StatsMatter or #TruthinStats