IBGE has published the first volume of the collection on the history of Brazilian statistics, titled Desired Statistics (1822-1889), by Nelson Senra. The four-volume collection brings detailed information about the 180 years of the statistical activity in the country, from 1822 to 2002. Due to the need of knowledge about the population and the territory, Brazil was discovered to have turned, according to the census of 1872, into a country of gigantic numbers. In 1872, it had 10 million inhabitants (8, 4 million free people and 1,5 million slaves),in 2002 there were about 160 million inhabitants. 

The first volume, Desired Statistics (1822-1889), covers the period of emperorship Brazil. As suggested in the title itself, this period is characterized by the interest in the development of statistical knowledge in the country. The author, supported by valuable historical research, describes the first attempts at the conduction of a general census, in 1852. The operation is interrupted due to public revolt. Twenty years later, in 1872, the fisrt census of Brazil is conducted and the country is finally able to be known as it is. In the decade of 1870’s, the impact of immigration was yet to be understood: 960 out of 1000 inhabitants were Brazilian; only 40 were foreigners. As support, a census is performed in the Court (1870) as well as a balance of the Brazilian statistics (1870), and the Court members attended an International Congress on Statistics, in St Petersburg (1872).

It is also important to emphasize the periodicity of the collection, which highlights two important periods of the history of statistics. The first one is the technical-political production of statistics, between 1822 and 1792, when statisitcs were used for administrative purposes. The second is the technical-scientific production of statistics, from 1792 to 2002, characterized by the first steps towards sampling tecniques.

In this first volume, the history of statistics 1822-1889 is told in 611 pages, enriched with illustrations throughout 18 chapters, some of which included appendices and statistics which complement the explanations. At the end of the publication, there is a summary of the content presented, with two timelines – one relating the theme studied to the History of the Emperorship in Brazil, another one with the evolution of the statistical activity (and similar issues).

Throughout this year, IBGE will launch the three other volumes which complete the collection History of Brazilian Statistics. They are: Legalized Statistics (1889-1936); Organized Statistics (1936-1972) and Formalized Statistics (1972-2002). Finally, the collection is consistent research for those who wish to know about the slow and difficult history of statistics in Brazil.

The launching of History of Brazilian Statistics will take place on August 22 (Tuesday) at 6:30 PM, in the auditorium of IBGE, located at 706 Canabarro St – Maracanã – Rio de Janeiro. The publication will also be available at the virtual shop (www.ibge.gov.br) and also at IBGE bookshops in the IBGE offices all over Brazil.

For additional information and interviews contact the Communication Sector of IBBE; telephone numbers: (21) - 2142-4506/ 4601/0985/  fax: (21) - 2142-0491, by e-mail comunica@ibge.gov.br or at 166, Franklin Roosevelt Av., 9^th floor – Centro – Rio de Janeiro.

¹  Nelson Senra is a researcher at IBGE and professor in the Master’s Program of the National School of Statistical Sciences, where he teaches Sociology of Statistics (using statistics as a research field, he edited a book in 2005, The Knowledge and the Power of Statistics). He is a doctor in Information Science (ECO/UFRJ), and a Master in Economics (EPGE/FGV) and has a dgree on Economics (UCAM).