Introduction
As far back as the eighteenth century organized, official statistics were compiled in the dual monarchy of Denmark and Norway. After 1814 a statistical office was at first set up in the Ministry of Finance, and later tranferred to the Ministry of the Interior. In 1876 the office was separated from the ministry and organized as an independent institution under the name of the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Statistics Norway, as the name is now, was from the outset responsible for a considerable proportion of the official statistics: censuses of population and statistics of demographic changes, statistics of agriculture and fisheries, mining and manufacturing, external trade and shipping, municipal affairs, real property etc. Up to the turn of the century Statistics Norway started compilation of new statistics in various fields (surveys of working conditions and wages, election statistics etc.), and some of the statistics previously compiled by other institutions were transferred to Statistics Norway.
In the period between the turn of the century and the First World War the responsibility for statistics of manufacturing and some other statistics was taken over by other institutions. This process of decentralization was, however, reversed after the First World War. In the years 1920-1940 statistics like social statistics, manufacturing statistics, agricultural statistics and electricity statistics were tranferred to Statistics Norway from different administrative bodies. In addition, important advances were made in the fields of manufacturing statistics, external trade statistics and the compilation of indices designed to throw light upon economic cycles.
After the Second World War the development of the statistics proceeded, first in the fields of economics, and later extended to cover various aspects of human and environmental conditions. The process of centralizing official statistics continued. Among the statistics taken over by Statistics Norway in this period may be mentioned banking statistics, tourism statistics, school and educational statistics and employment statistics. Major parts of the expansion of official statistics have benefitted from more extensive use of administrative registers and sample surveys. A central population register was established in 1964. A permanent field organization for household and similar surveys was established in 1966.
After the war substantial efforts have been made to coordinate official statistics within a unified system of definitions and standard classifications. The national accounting system has played an important role in this process. Norway has to a great extent taken part in international co-operation in the field of statistics and endeavours to follow the recommendation agreed upon, thereby making Norwegian statistics comparable to the statistics of other countries.
Statistics Norway started with only 15 employees in 1876, and has by now about 850 employees, divided between Oslo (about 500 employees) and Kongsvinger (about 350 employees). Major improvements have been made in methods and technical equipment used in the processing of data. The availability and increased use of electronic computers has been a prerequisite for the substantial developments in statistics in the last decades.
Since 1861 a major part of official statistics has been published under the serial title of Norway's Official Statistics. This includes Statistical Yearbook and Historical Statistics, both comprising statistics from most subject areas. In addition, Statistics Norway has for many years published a Weekly Bulletin of Statistics and a Monthly Bulletin of Statistics covering various parts of official statistics. The Monthly Bulletin of External Trade contains detailed data on imports and exports of goods. Results of studies on various topics, also containing official statistics, have been published in the series Social and Economic Studies, Reports, Articles and Statistical Analyses.
In 1978 Statistics Norway issued the publication Catalogue of Norwegian Official Statistics and other publications published by the Central Bureau of Statistics 1828-1976. Updated catalogues have been issued later. With some years intervals a Guide to Norwegian Statistics has been published. This guide contains a systematically arranged survey of official statistics, with information on agency responsible for compiling the statistics, scope, frequency and publications.