United Nations Statistical Commission
| Abbreviation | StatCom |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1947 |
| Type | Intergovernmental organization, Regulatory body, Advisory board |
| Legal status | Active |
| Headquarters | New York, USA |
Head | Chair of the UN Statistical Commission |
Parent organization | United Nations Economic and Social Council |
| Website | Statistical Commission at unstats.org |
The United Nations Statistical Commission (StatCom) is a Functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council established in 1946;[1] it oversees the work of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Its 24 member states are elected by the Economic and Social Council on the basis of the following geographical distribution: African states (5), Asian States (4), Eastern European States (4), Latin American and Caribbean States (4), Western European and other States (7). Since July 1999 the Commission meets every year. As set forth by the Economic and Social Council, in the terms of reference,[2] the Commission shall assist the Council:
- "In promoting the development of national statistics and the improvement of their comparability;"
- "In the coordination of the statistical work of specialized agencies;"[3]
- "In the development of the central statistical services of the Secretariat;"
- "In advising the organs of the United Nations on general questions relating to the collection, analysis and dissemination of statistical information;"
- "In promoting the improvement of statistics and statistical methods generally."
One of the best known subunits of the Statistics Division is the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN), also known as the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names (UNCSGN). This unit attempts to standardize the names of locations across languages, alphabets, and cultures.
The sixth UN Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names was in 1992 (New York), the seventh in 1998 (New York), the eighth in 2002 (Berlin), and the ninth in 2007 (New York). One issue addressed at these conferences was the Sea of Japan naming dispute.
The Bureau[edit]
The officers are the Chairman, 3 Vice-chairmen and the Rapporteur, elected for a one-year period by the members of the Commission at the beginning of a session. Since 1999, its role is more of a steering one; the Chairman may seek for complementary assistance from other members (Friends of the Chair).
- Chairmanship [4]
Year Session Country Chair 2018 49th
Kenya
Zachary Mwangi 2017 48th
Brazil
Wasmália Bivar 2016 47th
Brazil
Wasmália Bivar 2015 46th
United Kingdom
John Pullinger 2014 45th
United Kingdom
Jil Matheson 2013 44th
Hungary
Gabriella Vukovich 2012 43rd
Hungary
Gabriella Vukovich 2011 42nd
Oman
Ali Bin Mahboob 2010 41st
Oman
Ali Bin Mahboob 2009 40th
South Africa
Pali Lehohla 2008 39th
South Africa
Pali Lehohla 2007 38th
Mexico
Gilberto Calvillo Vives 2006 37th
Mexico
Gilberto Calvillo Vives 2005 36th
USA
Katherine Wallman 2004 35th
USA
Katherine Wallman 2003 34th
Hungary
Tamás Mellár 2002 33rd
Hungary
Tamás Mellár 2001 32nd
Japan
Shigeru Kawasaki 2000 31st
Botswana
Guest Charumbira 1999 30th
Botswana
Guest Charumbira 1997 29th
Mexico
Carlos Jarque 1995 28th
United Kingdom
Bill Mclennan 1994 Special session
Poland
Jozef Olenski 1993 27th
Netherlands
Willem Begeer 1991 26th
Netherlands
Willem Begeer 1989 25th
Argentina
Luis Alberto Beccaria 1987 24th
Ghana
Emmanuel Oti Boateng 1985 23rd
Ireland
Tom Linehan 1983 22nd
Hungary
Vera Nyitrai 1981 21st
USA
Joseph W. Duncan 1979 20th
Soviet Union
Mikhail Antonovich Korolev 1976 19th
India
V. R. Rao 1974 18th
United Kingdom
Claus Moser 1972 17th
France
Jean Ripert 1970 16th
France
Jean Ripert 1968 15th
Australia
Keith Archer 1966 14th
Norway
Petter Jakob Bjerve 1965 13th
Norway
Petter Jakob Bjerve 1962 12th
Ireland
Donal Mccarthy 1960 11th
Ireland
Donal Mccarthy 1958 10th
New Zealand
George Wood 1956 9th
India
P.C. Mahalanobis 1954 8th
India
P.C. Mahalanobis 1953 7th
United Kingdom
Harry Campion 1951 6th
United Kingdom
Harry Campion 1950 5th
Netherlands
Philip Idenburg 1949 4th
Netherlands
Philip Idenburg 1948 3rd
Canada
Herbert Marshall 1947 (August) 2nd
Canada
Herbert Marshall 1947 (January) 1st
Canada
Herbert Marshall 1946 Nuclear session
USA
Stuart A. Rice
See also[edit]
- Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA)
- List of national and international statistical services
- United Nations Statistics Division
References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
- Hausner, Isolde: Die „United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names“ (UNGEGN) und die Standardisierung geographischer Namen. In: Kainz, W. / Kriz, K. / Riedl, A. (eds.): Aspekte der Kartographie im Wandel. Festschrift für Ingrid Kretschmer zum 65. Geburtstag. Wien 2004 (= Wiener Schriften zur Geographie und Kartographie).
- Kerfoot, Helen: Role of the United Nations in the standardization of geographical names: some fifty years on. In: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division (ed.): Manual for the standardization of geographical names. United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names. New York 2006: 83-97. ISBN 92-1-161490-2