CEOS Development Environment

Satellite Imagery for Improving Official Statistics

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Statistical agencies around the world have a strong interest in investigating the viability of using satellite imagery data to improve official statistics on a wide range of topics, including progress on the 2030 Development Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This handbook, put together as an input to the United Nation Global Working Group on Big Data for Official Statistics report to the United Nations Statistical Commission for 2017 and including experts from*:

  • the United Nations
  • the Australian Bureau of Statistics
  • the Queensland University of Technology, Australia
  • the Queensland Government, Australia
  • the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia
  • the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, Mexico
  • Statistics Canada

provides a guide for National Statistical Offices considering the use of satellite imagery/data (known as satellite Earth observations) for official statistics. It includes a brief introduction to the use of Earth observation data for official statistics, types of sources available and methodologies for producing statistics from this type of data, case study examples, and much more. 

*Organizations listed in the order they appear in the handbook.