“We really believe that statistics is, for those who possess it, a valuable national wealth… Statistics is the only certain realm on which a careful government should found the reason of its reforms.”

Dionisie Pop Martian

Brief history

150 years of oficial statistics in Romania

July 12, 1859 - The ruler Alexandru Ioan Cuza signed The Ordinance on the setting up on Central Administrative Statistics Office, marking the birth certificate of official statistics in Romania. This moment is also related to the names of two famous Romanian economists of the XIX-th century, Dionisie Pop Martian and Ion Ionescu de la Brad.

In the long run, official statistics, one of the first public institutions created in Romania after the Union as well as one of oldest statistical offices in Europe has faced evolutions and reorganizations, successively changing its name, always observing the principles of truth and probity of its approach, keeping its status of main instrument of knowledge and evaluation of the country reality, providing, through statistical data and information, the necessary background to the authorities, to economic units, to the whole society, to build up and put into practice some realistic programs of governing, of economic and social development.

I. Start and confirmation (1859-1877)

Since the beginning, without having the necessary material resources, sufficient and specialized staff, the statistical institution ventured and succeeded to end far-reaching actions, gaining fame and prestige. The following were achieved:

• Population Census (1859-1860)
• Industrial Establishment Census (1863), the first national survey of an European Country
• "Statistical and Economic Annals (1860)"
• Romania was among the most active participants in international statistical congresses in London, Berlin, Florence and Hague

II. Contributions to economic and social consolidation of Romania after conquering the state independence (1877-1914)

Carrying on the steps of the pioneer period, official statistics is one of the main pillars of the Romanian state in the period of its consolidation, through a substantial contribution of statistical information necessary to take accurate decisions for the country development. The following were achieved:

• Population Census of 1899 and 1912
• Publication System was enriched with the following series:
  Romanian Statistical Bulletin (1892)
  Demographic Review (1892)
  Statistical Yearbook of Romania (1909)
• Higher statistical education was created, through the Academy of High Commercial and Social Studies (1913)

III. Romanian stsistical school in vanguard of international statistics (1918-1945)

Between the two world wars, Romanian official statistics imposes itself, through its great personalities, the status of a prestige school at international level. It is the period when the institution takes advantage from the creative activity of famous personalities: Dimitrie Gusti, Octav Onicescu, Grigore Moisil, Gheorghe Mihoc, Sabin Manuila, Anton Golopentia etc.
Reference points:

• Romanian Agriculture Atlas (1929)
• General Population Census of Romania (1930)
• General Census of Romania (1941), in which the main place was held by the inventory of industrial enterprises
• Agriculture Census (1941), the first systematic paper of this type carried out in our country
• Extension of selective samples for almost all fields of national economy
• Setting up the Statistical School (1930) which became Statistical Institute of Bucharest University (1941)

IV. Keeping the identity and proffesional probity (1946-1989)

The years after the second world war, a period full of obstacles and difficulties, of all kinds of pressure, are however characterized by the efforts made by a new generation of statisticians – most of them were ex-collaborators and disciples of previous period masters – to assure the continuity of statistical data and series and to keep at great extent the credibility of Romanian official statistics, in spite of totalitarian regime, of convenient and make up presentation of some statistical information. Among the efforts made to keep the identity of statistical science and of professional probity of its civil servants, it is well known the contribution of Mihail Levente and Mircea Biji, of other remarkable specialists for the following:

• Carrying out very complex statistical papers
  Population and Housing Census (1966 and 1977)
  The first balance of economic brances connection
• Passing to data electronic processing
• Begining the collaboration with UN Statistical Direction

V. For a functional market economy, serving the state of right and democratic values of Romanian society

After December 1989 revolution, Romanian official statistics contributes, through its data and information, as a result of improved working tools and methodologies, to the support of national efforts for carrying out some structural reforms, economic and social development, modernization of the Romanian society. Therefore:

• Investigation and measuring capacity of economic and social evolution in the Romanian society increased.
• Statistical indicators system and specific methodologies improved, closely connected to the evolution of economic and social phenomena and processes and according to the acquis communautaire; statistics highly contributed to assure the data necessary for the European Union accession negotiation chapters. Statistical chapter was among the first chapters concluded by Romania in these negotiations
• National statistical data supply increased and consolidated.
• Dissemination means diversified and modernized
• Database highly extended at territorial level, as well as indicators system at regional and county level
• Wide and complex economic and social investigations were achieved as well as surveys, researches, mainly three:
• Population and Housing Census (1992, 2002)
  General Agriculture Census (2002-2003)
• The strategy of developing the national statistical system and the INS activity – horizon 2006 was carried out, as background of future objectives, according to the requirements of Romanian society evolution.
• The following principles were promoted and still are: autonomy, confidentiality, transparency, relevance, proportionality and deontology of the National Institute of Statistics activity, comparability and compatibility of Romanian statistical information with European statistics.
• The collaboration with Eurostat (European Union Statistical Office) was developed as well as with other European statistical offices, especially after signing in 1994 two bilateral and multilateral common declarations, and with UNO specialized bodies.
  In those 148 years of continuous history, which are to be celebrated on July 1, 2007, official institution of statistics was named by turn: