Present rooted in the past

In Hungary there was an attempt at establishing a statistical service of nation-wide authority as far back as 1848. The National Statistical Office was established for the firt time within the Ministry of the Interior and Elek Fényes, one of the most outstanding statisticans of that period was entrusted with the direction of the office. However, a year later it ceased to exist due to the failure of the struggle for independence from Austria in 1849. It was not until 1867 - following the compromise with the Austrian Monarchy and establishing the agencies of an independent Hungarian administration - that the reorganization of the statistical service was started.

The government invited Károly Keleti, one of the most prominent economists of that age to lay down the conditions of founding a statistical office taking into account the international practice as well. Under his leadership the Statistical Department was set up within the frame of the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade and Industry and on 25th May, 1867 Károly Keleti was appointed by the king to head that office. This event is regarded as the birth of official statistical service.