Birth and death
The United Nations Statistics Division is the primary agency responsible at an international level for
collecting official national data on natality and mortality, that is on fertility, foetal deaths and deaths. Data on natality have been collected from national statistical offices and disseminated through the Demographic Yearbook system since its first issue in 1948.
A review of the national reporting of fertility and mortality data (United Nations, 2004) describes the experience of countries with regard to reporting of the requested data to the Demographic Yearbook for the period 1961 to 2000, and relate national practices with respect to classifications to relevant international recommendations for fertility.
issuing guidelines and methodologies in the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics on natality and mortality.
documenting and disseminating country practices and activities in the collection, compilation and dissemination of statistics on natality and mortality - United Nations Statistics Division Work programme on the improvement of civil registration and vital statistics.
providing technical guidance and support to countries in collecting, compiling and disseminating natality and mortality statistics.
Standards and methods
The United Nations Statistics Division issues standards and methods approved by the Statistical Commission to assist national statistical authorities and other producers of statistics in the collection, compilation and dissemination of data.
Basic concepts and their definitions: features definitions of live birth and foetal death; as well as items that can be collected in a population census. These concepts and definitions were approved by the Statistical Commission.
United Nations Principles and Recommendations:
- Principles and Recommendations for Vital Statistics Systems, Revision 2 (2001)
- Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2 (2008)
Handbooks, Guidelines and Training Manuals:
- Handbook on Training in Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems (2002)
- Handbook on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems: Computerization (1998)
- Handbook on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System: Developing Information, Education and Communication (1998)
- Handbook on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems: Management, Operation and Maintenance (1998)
- Handbook on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System: Policies and Protocols for the Release and Archiving of Individual Records (1998)
- Handbook on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Systems: Preparation of a Legal Framework (1998)
- Handbook on the Collection of Fertility and Mortality Data (2003)
- Manual X Indirect Techniques for Demographic Estimation (1983)