Statistics at Full Speed: How a New GIS Could Reshape How Public Administration Operates
A new national GIS is set to accelerate how official statistics are produced and used. By 2030, Russia plans to fully automate the collection and processing of all official statistical data. We examined how an information system being developed by Rosstat could reshape how public administration operates.
Slow Processing Set to Become History
Statistical data in Russia is currently processed at a slow pace. From the moment information is collected at the municipal level to its final analysis at Rosstat, as much as six months can pass. By the time the data is published, much of it is already outdated.
Another challenge is fragmentation. Data arrives in disparate formats, requiring additional time for cleaning, harmonisation and alignment to a single baseline. At each link in the chain, interpretations and manual adjustments may be introduced, increasing the risk of distortions and eroding confidence in the final picture.
These system-level bottlenecks are what the new GIS known as the Central Analytical Platform for Statistical Data Provision (CAP) is designed to address. By 2030, all participants in statistical reporting – from businesses to government bodies – will transmit data to the platform automatically, in machine-readable form and according to a single standard.
A Single Standard, International-Grade Quality
The unified standard underpinning the platform was developed and approved three months ago. Rosstat has stated that by 2027 all official statistical information will be produced according to unified standards at every stage of the lifecycle: collection, processing, storage, publication and use. This alignment is expected to enable broader international cooperation, as the quality of Russian statistics will meet the recommendations of the United Nations and Eurostat.
Primary data will flow directly into the CAP, bypassing intermediate layers. This will dramatically shorten data-collection timelines and ensure relevance. Just as importantly, the risk of data tampering will be effectively removed, as data will be recorded and processed end-to-end within a single digital environment.
The CAP is being built on the Gostech digital platform, which is gradually becoming the backbone for Russia’s government information systems. The first system to migrate in 2022 was the Federal Property Online GIS. By 2025, the platform was already hosting 29 systems, including solutions used by the National Guard, the Ministry of Sport and Rosimushchestvo.
Practical Benefits for Government, Business and Citizens
Faster, up-to-date statistics will allow the state to forecast economic and social trends more accurately, respond more quickly to internal challenges, optimise spending and improve the quality of public services. Greater transparency and accessibility of statistical information should also strengthen trust in official data.
For businesses, the system’s key advantage is single data submission. Companies will no longer need to provide the same information to multiple agencies in different formats. This reduces administrative burden and lowers compliance costs.
Citizens also stand to benefit. More accurate data underpins fairer distribution of budget funds, better-justified tariffs and more effective social policy, directly affecting quality of life.
A Catalyst for the Digital Economy
If implemented successfully, the CAP will turn Rosstat into the central hub of the state’s analytical infrastructure. Data is a strategic asset at the core of the digital economy. Under the new model, the agency will not only collect data, but also actively distribute it for use across government and beyond.
Creating a new digital platform, shifting to real-time interaction with other agencies and businesses, and using big data should deliver a new level of quality needed to build Russia’s data-driven economy, said Karen Kazaryan, Director of the Internet Research Institute. The argument is difficult to contest. Statistics is not about the past – it is an integral part of the future.
