Statistical literacy newsletter

Maps are powerful tools for data visualisation, particularly in statistics. In this episode, map experts from Eurostat tell stories about maps and data, and explain why maps and geographic information systems are a gateway to the public understanding of the data that affects them.

How many people live in Europe? At what age do they get married and have children? Explore a wide range of statistics on Europe's population — play with the visualisations and compare countries across different indicators.

Where does our energy come from? How are we advancing towards adopting renewable energy sources? You will find the answer to these and many more questions in this interactive publication featuring short texts and dynamic infographics.

On 5 June we will announce the results of the European Statistics Competition 2024. Over 22 000 students from 20 countries signed up for the seventh edition of this statistical literacy contest, the highest number since the start of the competition. Stay tuned to find out who the winning teams are.

Via Statbel Junior, statistics from Statistics Belgium are displayed and explained in an accessible way, for children and young people. Based on their own municipality, they can discover figures on population, population evolution, nationalities, traffic accidents and agricultural activities.

On 2 and 3 May, national statistical institutes, education experts and communication professionals gathered in Bruges to discuss on how to enhance statistical literacy among young people and foster closer collaboration between educational institutions and official statistical institutes. All the presentations are available online.

Jonathan Elliott, host of Eurostat's podcast series Stats in a Wrap, recommends some essential readings on statistical literacy:

- Rhys Jones: Statistical Literacy - A Beginner's Guide

- Hans Rosling: Factfulness

- Tim Hartford: How To Make The World Add Up