The Hellenic Statistical Authority (Greek: Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή, ), mostly known by its acronym ELSTAT (Greek: ΕΛ.ΣΤΑΤ.), is an independent and autonomous authority in Greece that deals with the collection of data on behalf of the state. Prior to 2010, ELSTAT was a non-autonomous service of the Greek state known as the National Statistical Service of Greece (Greek: Εθνική Στατιστική Υπηρεσία).
The primary user of the Hellenic Statistical Authority is the Greek state. However, the Authority is also used by international organizations such as the European Commission (Eurostat) and others.
The Hellenic Statistical Authority collects data which concern population, employment and unemployment, tourism and the economy, industry, as well as data concerning health and social insurance, education and others. Prior to becoming an independent authority, ELSTAT was involved in a number of scandals involving false statistics regarding the condition of the Greek economy in recent years.
Famous quotes containing the word authority:
“Contact with men who wield power and authority still leaves an intangible sense of repulsion. It’s very like being in close proximity to faecal matter, the faecal embodiment of something unmentionable, and you wonder what it is made of and when it acquired its historically sacred character.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)