The State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan Republic () is a governmental agency within the Cabinet of Azerbaijan in charge of collection, processing and disseminating statistical data on the economy, demographics and other sectors of activity in Azerbaijan Republic. The agency is headed by Arif Valiyev. History The statistics offices were initially created and operated in Shamakhi from 1846 through 1859, in Baku from 1859 and in Ganja from 1867 after their incorporation into Russian governorates. Until 1917, statistical data was given in 20 to 27 tables and contained information on population, labor, job markets, number of factories and plants, agricultural data, prices on commodities, military data, etc. With the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the authorities tried to create a centralized office for statistical data collection but succeeded only in establishment of separate statistics offices within various ministries such as within State Property Ministry on November 15, 1918, and within the Department of Land of the Ministry of Agriculture in July 1919. After establishment of Soviet rule on July 8, 1920 Nariman Narimanov created an interim collegium of statistics within the Azerbaijan Revolutionary Committee. From 1924 forward, regional statistical bodies were created in each region. In 1928, a new statute was approved by the Council of People's Commissars of Azerbaijan SSR for creation of Central Statistics Department. In 1948, the Central Statistics Department was transferred to the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan. In 1987, the Central Statistics Department was transformed into State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan SSR and its statute was approved by the Council of Ministers of March 1988. On February 18, 1994 President of independent Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev signed the Law on Statistics establishing the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan Republic. Structure The committee is headed by its chairman. It consists of the Central Administration, State Statistics Committee of Nakhichevan AR, Baku City Statistics Department, 81 raion statistics offices, Main Accounting Office and Department for Scientific Research and Projection of Statistical Data. The State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan ensures the activity of the statistical information system on the basis of the single methodology in the social and economic spheres in the country. The State Statistical Committee of Azerbaijan is an independent central economic body regulating the statistical and registration activity and operating in the system of the central executive bodies. The committee carries out its activities on the basis of the comprehensive and objective