"Statistics" worked on six tracks in 90 days Four Days and the Statistical Sector will Start a New Era Media Center The Saudi statistical data and information sector is starting a new era after declaring the changing of the central department of statistics to be an authority named" the general authority for statistics". This transforming will start officially on Wednesday 1st of jamad first. Director of media and statistical awareness department and the spokesman of the authority, Taiseer Almufarij states that working under the umbrella of the general authority for statistics is considered an implementation of the supreme decree number ( 64283) in 26/12/1436 H which declares transforming the central department of statistics to be a general authority called the general authority for statistics. This authority is financially and administratively independent. The supreme decree gave ninety days for the transforming process. The countdown is about to finish now and this Wednesday will be the first official day to work under the new name. Almufarij confirmed that this transforming is not only about changing the name or identity, but changing content, techniques, and mechanisms as the statistical sector must cope with all the rapid changes around it otherwise it cannot go farther.  With the increase of commercial transactions, international investments, social and economic changes, mass data revolution , and the development of digital media and portable technologies, it has been a need for the statistical work to go through a vital transforming process in order to satisfy the clients and fulfill their needs which require the authority to establish a mutual partnerships, estimate their current and future needs, unify the information sources, facilitate access to this sources, and provide more advanced statistical products. Almufarij said that the general authority for statistics is undergoing a transforming plan that has six major tracks: concentration on the client strategy, developing products and services, enhancing methodologies and procedures, upgrading information technologies and infrastructure, statistical literacy and building competences, and structuring all the authority's different tasks and departments in order to keep developing the authority and making it a distinct institution. It is worth mentioning that the Saudi statistical work has started in a very early era of the Saudi development history. It has started in 1349H /1930 AD and continued for thirty years till the issuance of the general statistics system in royal decree number (23) which made the statistical work a sector that refers technically and administratively back to an official system that cooperated in organizing the statistical sector by setting the rules of relation between the central department as it is the only central department for statistics and the other sectors. This system aimed to activate the statistical work and make it more comprehensive, and raise statistical awareness. During the last fifty eight years, the department worked on many surveys, censuses, and indicators in many different fields in Saudi Arabia.

GaStat: An Increase in Exports and a Decrease in Merchandise Imports of Saudi Arabia (1st quarter-2017) The value of merchandise exports of Saudi Arabia during the first quarter of 2017 amounted to (206984) million riyals compared to (140186) million riyals for the same quarter last year, with an increase of (66799) million riyals (47.7%). While non-oil exports amounted to (44849) million riyals during the first quarter of 2017 compared to (43029) million riyals for the same period last year, with an increase of (1820) million riyals (4.2%). The value of Saudi Arabia's imports during the first quarter decreased by (12.3%) to reach (125558) million riyals with a decrease of (17542) million riyals compared to same quarter last year which recorded (143100) million riyals. According to the quarterly report issued by GaStat for the first quarter of 2017, the value of Saudi merchandise exports recorded an increase of (5.2%) compared to the last quarter (4th quarter 2016) which recorded (196842) million riyals. While non-oil exports recorded a decrease of (4.5%)compared to the last quarter (4th quarter 2016) which recorded (46964) million riyals. The Saudi imports recorded a decrease of (0,05%) compared to the last quarter which recorded (125616) million riyals. The ratio of non-oil exports to imports reached (35.7%) in the first quarter of 2017 compared to (30.1%) for the same quarter last year, but this percentage was lower than the previous quarter (fourth quarter 2016), which recorded (37.4%).   The report shows that 20.4% of the imports were capital goods, 39.3% intermediate goods and 40.3% imports were goods for final consumption. The increase in the value of non-oil exports in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same quarter of last year was the result of the rise of the most important sections of merchandises exported, mainly plastics, rubber and their products, which rose by (9.8%) to the value of (14570) million riyals. The products of chemical industries and related industries increased to (13355) million riyals compared to (11361) million riyals in the first quarter of 2016, which means an increase of (1993) million riyals (17.5%). Base metals and its products increased to (3703) million riyals Compared to (3636) million riyals in the first quarter of 2016, which means an increase of (66) million riyals (1.8%). The exports of Saudi Arabia in the transport equipment and its parts, machinery, and electrical appliances and equipment section reached (6204) million riyals which form (13.8%) of the Saudi non-oil exports in this period. Regarding imports, the machinery, electrical appliances and equipment and thereof decreased by (19.3%) to reach (30191) million riyals in the first quarter of 2017 compared to (37397) million riyals in the first quarter of 2016. The imports of transportation equipment and thereof decreased to (20529) million riyals compared to (25377) million riyals (19.1%). While imports of chemical products and related industries decreased by (4.7%) to record (12638) million riyals in the first quarter of 2017 compared to (13268) million riyals for the same period last year. The report pointed out that the total volume of non-oil exported merchandise increased to (13248) thousand tons in the first quarter of 2017 compared to (13103) thousand tons in the first quarter of 2016, which means an increase of 1.1%. The volume of imports in the first quarter of 2017 also decreased to (17130) thousand tons compared to (20561) thousand tons for the same quarter of last year with a decrease of (16.7%).  On the geographical distribution of Saudi Arabia's exports of non-oil merchandise, the report pointed out that exports to Asian countries, excluding Arab and Islamic countries, are at the top of the groups that have been exported to, recording a rise of (32.1%) to register (14246) in the first quarter of 2017 compared to (10781) million riyals in the first quarter 2016. Exports to the GCC countries decreased by (4.9%) to reach (11934) million riyals, while the rest of the groups decreased to (5.3%) to register (18669) million riyals. UAE is the top country for exports in the first quarter of 2017: The United Arab Emirates, China, India, Singapore and Kuwait are the top countries for exports, as their exports formed (41.7%) of the total non-oil exports compared to (36.6%) in the first quarter of 2016. China is the top country for imports in the first quarter of 2017:  The United States of America, China, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Japan are the top countries of imports, as their merchandise imports formed (45.9%) compared to (46%) in the first quarter of 2016.

Based on record data from the Ministry of Justice GaStat Issued the Real Estate Price Index for the 2nd Quarter- 2017 On Monday  1 Dhu al- Qa’dah, 1438H (July 24, 2017), the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) issued the Real Estate Price Index in Saudi Arabia, which is based on record data available at the Ministry of Justice about real estate transactions. GaStat described the Real Estate Price Index as an important tool to support stakeholders in making economic and statistical decisions regarding the movements of real estate prices and future forecasts during different periods of time. The index includes three main sectors consisting of several types of real estate: Residential sector consisting of the following types (land, Apartment and house), commercial sector consisting of (land, building, showroom/ store or commercial centre), agricultural sector consisting of one type which is agricultural land. The Real Estate Price Index showed a decline in real estate prices for the second quarter of 2017, which reached 0.6% compared to the previous quarter (1st quarter 20170) . the index also recorded a decline of 8.6% in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same quarter last year (2nd quarter 2016). The report, which was published today, attributed the decline in Real Estate Price Index for the 2nd quarter of 2017 compared to the previous quarter (1st quarter 2017) to the decline witnessed in two of the main sectors comprising the index: the commercial sector 2.2% and the agricultural sector 0.2%, while The housing sector rose 0.2%. The decline in the Real Estate Price index for the second quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year (second quarter 2016) is the result of the decline in all the main sectors comprising the index: the commercial sector 10.9%, the residential sector 7.9%, the agricultural sector 1.0% . As part of its duties as an official reference for statistics in Saudi Arabia and as a supervisor and organizer of the statistical sector, the General Authority for Statistics has taken care to monitor the movements of the prices of the constituent units of the real estate sector and monitor the value of their transactions in various regions of the Kingdom and follow the changes that occur from time to time through the statistical product “Real Estate Price Index” which is prepared based on data  provided by the Ministry of Justice in this field, within the framework of integration and cooperation between the various governmental bodies aimed at advancing sustainable development in the Kingdom. This product aims at finding unique real estate indices that measure the performance of real estate market in the Kingdom and fill the data gap in this sector. It is an important tool to support economic decision makers. Its data benefit individuals interested in the economic and statistical analysis of real estate movements and future forecast during different periods of time.

First: Recommendations to improve efficiency of statistical entities: Second: Recommendations to improve efficiency of statistical products: Third: Recommendations to follow up indicators of sustainable development: Fourth: Recommendations to activate statistics technology use: Fifth: Recommendations to raise statistical awareness: Sixth: Recommendations to improve private sector efficiency: Seventh: Recommendation to develop inter-Gulf statistical work:

Including data of more than 57 entities GASTAT issues the 2016  annual book    The general Authority for Statistics GASTAT issued its annual statistical book (52) of the year 1437/1438H (2016).  This book is considered one of the most important statistical products that GASTAT issues to register and document all statistical data and information and present the public and private sectors’ activities. Moreover, it reflects the growth and development rates in demographic, social, and economic fields. The statistical book, which has more than 460 pages, includes the most important data and information of many developmental sectors. Furthermore, it includes the results of the statistical works conducted by GASTAT over one year, in addition to what GASTAT receives from the governmental statistical departments. The data and information have been distributed among 15 chapters. the book also specified 289 tables that contain data and information of more than 57 government entities.  The statistical book data includes statistics of population, education and training, health. Social services, social insurance, transportation and telecommunication, water and energy, labour market, prices and indices, financial and monetary affairs, national accounts, industry, agriculture and hunting, local and foreign trade, and cooperation council. In addition, it includes statistics about natural conditions, thermometers readings, some natural phenomena such as dust, rainstorms, fog, rain quantity, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed.

To develop the statistical sector and follow up the sustainable development goals Saudi Arabia participates in the (48) round of the UN statistical commission Saudi Arabia participates in the 48th round of the UN statistical commission which is currently held in the UN headquarter in New York. The commission works will continue till Saturday 10th of March 2017. The Saudi delegation is headed by Dr. Fahad bin Sulaiman Altekhaifi. Dr. Fahad said that the participation represents part of the general authority for statistics strategy in establishing international collaborations and benefiting from the best statistical practices, so that they can be reflected on the development of the statistical sector in Saudi Arabia. He added, with this participation, Saudi Arabia aims at following up all the developments regarding the sustainable development agenda and the measurement indicators that are approved by the UN statistical commission to measure the progress in achieving economic, social, and environmental goals. In addition to the effective participation that reflects the important role of Saudi Arabia in the international statistics map. The Saudi delegation will also discuss the proposed mechanisms to develop the national statistical systems and methodologies, prepare statistical policies that affect the development process to support decision and policy makers, in addition to the exchange of experiences provided by statistical, developmental, and economic international organization.  On the other hand, Dr. Fahad clarified that this round will discuss many essential topics related to the role of statistical data in the development process, and developing its methodologies and data sources and the way they are published to be available for users on the proper time. Moreover, the round will discuss the agenda of official statistical systems transformation to enable countries to update the statistical process in order to support sustainable development agenda. GaStat will participate in discussing all issues related to prices, national accounts system, economic-environmental accounting, statistical classifications, international trade, weather statistics, disability statistics, IT and telecommunication statistics, big data as a new source of official statistics, and other topics related to quality assurance, official statistics fundamentals, the preparations for the coming HH surveys, and many other topics.  It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia has been selected with other (11) countries from all over the world to be a board-member in the international comparison program (ICP) in the United Nations (round 2017-2019). It has been nominated by the UN statistical commission and the data development group in the world bank to represent West Asia countries. Saudi Arabia has been selected for the positive role of the general authority for statistics (GaStat) in the different statistical programs organized by the united nations. The ICP structure includes: UN statistical commission, board of directors (with GaStat membership), and the mutual team works from different agencies and coordination committees and technical consultations. In addition to the international implementing entity (the world bank), the regional offices, Eurostat, OECD, and the national offices and organizations.

Within the activities of the first Gulf Statistical Forum in March GCC-STAT is launching the Statistical research competition for young statisticians… Cash prizes for the first three winners The Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) has launched the statistical research competition for young statisticians 2017 which will be held within the activities of the first Gulf Statistical Forum that will take place from March 20th till March 22nd, 2017 in Riyadh city. The competition aims at reinforce statistical research value, raise the spirit of competition among young statisticians in the GCC countries, discover the statistical abilities and talents of Gulf youth, produce new statistical subjects and methods that keep up with the needs of Gulf societies. The competition targets young statisticians working in the statistical sector who are GCC citizens, whether working in national statistical centers or in statistical official government institutions. The competition also targets students (GCC citizens) from different Academic institutions such as colleges and universities (public and private). The statistical center has set two subjects to chose from, the first addresses a new methodology or new statistical methods in official statistics, this includes technical applications that helps in statistical work (such as new methods to collect and disseminate data), while the second subject revolves around the extent of official statistics' contribution in achieving development progress in one of the countries in the region.  To be eligible, the submitter must be a citizen of GCC countries under the age of 35 on February 20, 2017. The submitter must also be working in government official statistical sectors in GCC, including national statistical centers and other official bodies producing statistics, or a student in public or private educational institutions in the GCC countries such as colleges or universities. The applicant has the right to form his own team , each team is a maximum of three members, the research paper must be new and prepared specifically for the forum competition, and has not been previously presented in another competition or forum or has been published anywhere. It also must be within the subject of the competition and has the specific technical requirements. The applicant must attach a copy of his/her passport  and ID. February 20, 2017 is the last day for submission, and the first three winners will be awarded with cash prizes. Applicants can send their entries to the email: Competition@gccstat.org . The first statistical forum is held by the General Authority for Statistics and The Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf, under the title "Enhancing the Statistical Partnership to Support Economic Policies and Sustainable Development in the GCC Region", under the high patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – May God Protect him.  The forum will focus on main aspects;  requesting statistical data and information from national growth  tracks, sustainable development agenda and emerging international economic issues, negotiating the provision of statistical products and services to support the national growth  tracks and sustainable development agenda in GCC countries, and discussing the enhancement of statistical collaborations between data users and producers to support the economic policies and sustainable development agenda in GCC countries. GCC Statisical Forum Click here