World Statistics DayDate · History · Messages · Quotes
United Nations General Assembly resolutions 64/267 and 69/282
About World Statistics Day
World Statistics Day is a United Nations observance held on 20 October every five years to recognize the importance of reliable official statistics for public decision-making.
Unlike most international days in this authority base, it is not annual. The General Assembly decided in 2015 that World Statistics Day should be celebrated every five years on 20 October.
Why World Statistics Day matters
Official statistics help governments, researchers, communities and the public understand conditions and measure change. Their usefulness depends not just on producing numbers, but on professional standards, integrity, comparability and public trust.
The observance should not be used to imply that every statistic is equally reliable. Data quality depends on definitions, collection methods, coverage, revisions, uncertainty and appropriate interpretation.
History of World Statistics Day
The UN Statistical Commission proposed celebrating 20 October 2010 as World Statistics Day through decision 41/109. The General Assembly then adopted A/RES/64/267 on 3 June 2010, designating 20 October 2010 as the first World Statistics Day.
On 3 June 2015, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/69/282, designating the second World Statistics Day for 20 October 2015 and deciding that the observance would recur every five years on 20 October.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
United Nations Statistical Commission
The UN states that the Statistical Commission proposed celebrating 20 October 2010 as World Statistics Day through decision 41/109.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/267
First documented observance
A/RES/64/267 designated 20 October 2010 as the first World Statistics Day, and UNSD records the first celebration on that date.
Changed World Statistics Day from individually designated editions into a recurring observance celebrated every five years on 20 October.
United Nations General Assembly · A/RES/69/282
United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
UNSD maintains the World Statistics Day programme, coordination contact and official observance resources.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
How to Observe World Statistics Day
Choose a public dataset and read its methodology before interpreting the headline numbers.
Compare how two official statistical agencies define the same indicator and note any differences in population, period or measurement.
Practice turning a chart into a plain-language explanation that includes uncertainty and avoids overstating causation.
Learn how official statistics are revised and why a later estimate may legitimately differ from an earlier release.
World Statistics Day Facts
World Statistics Day falls on 20 October in designated five-year cycles, not every year.
The first World Statistics Day was 20 October 2010.
A/RES/64/267 established the first observance and was adopted on 3 June 2010.
A/RES/69/282 established the every-five-years recurrence in 2015.
The UN Statistical Commission originally proposed the 2010 observance through decision 41/109.
World Statistics Day Messages
Wishing everyone observing World Statistics Day a day of reflection, constructive dialogue and purposeful follow-through.
On World Statistics Day, may awareness lead to informed discussion, practical action and respect for the communities at the heart of the observance.
May World Statistics Day encourage thoughtful participation, shared responsibility and action that continues after the observance ends.
World Statistics Day Quotes
“Citizens everywhere deserve trustworthy data to inform public policy and strengthen accountability.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Confirm the date again before carrying it into a new year.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/64/267 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Statistics Division — World Statistics Day 2020 history (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Statistics Day (opens in a new tab)
Un Resolution
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is World Statistics Day?
20 October every five years The documented recurrence rule is: 20 October every five years; check whether the target year is an observance year.
Does World Statistics Day fall on the same date every year?
It does not follow a reliably fixed rule, so the date should be confirmed for the relevant year.
Is World Statistics Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United Nations international statistics observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes World Statistics Day?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as United Nations Statistical Commission. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD).
Is World Statistics Day international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: United Nations international statistics observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
Is World Statistics Day every year?
No. The UN General Assembly decided that it should be celebrated every five years on 20 October.
When was the first World Statistics Day?
The first World Statistics Day was held on 20 October 2010.
Why can’t this site automatically show it every 20 October?
Because the official rule is a five-year cycle rather than an annual recurrence. The authority engine therefore treats it as a custom rule and resolves only supported observance years.