National Bureau of Statistics

Concepts and Definitions for Official Statistics in Tanzania - December, 2005

Click on the links below to download the following documents:

• Introduction
• Concepts and Definitions - Main document
• Annex
• References

Preface
According to the "Statistics Act, 2002" one of the main functions of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is to establish statistical standards and ensure their use by all producers/users of official statistics so as to facilitate the integration and comparison of statistics produced both nationally and internationally.

This publication is the first attempt to put together statistical concepts and definitions that are used in the collection and compilation of official statistics in the country. Although most of the concepts defined relate to the statistics produced by the NBS, the objective is for the publication to cover concepts and definitions used by all producers of official statistics. As a start, this publication contains concepts and definitions used in the production of statistics in Sectoral Ministries and all other Institutions.

To allow internal and external comparison, most of the concepts and definitions given are those recommended internationally. However, where national interests are better served by departing from international recommendations, priority is given to national interests.

We hope that the producers and users of official statistics, both current and potential, will look at this document closely and see if the concepts and definitions contained herein, meet their analytical needs. We also welcome comments and suggestions that will lead to improvement of future editions of this publication.

Cletus P.B. Mkai
DIRECTOR GENERAL