This information is needed by government ministries, primarily for determining policies and planning and following-up on developments.  This information is also available to academic research institutes and to the wider public.

In addition, the Bureau is responsible for coordinating the statistical activity of State institutions and advising them on statistical matters.  The work of the Central Bureau of Statistics is carried out in accordance with international standards accepted in most countries of the world, and thereby allows for analysis of statistical information comparing Israel and other countries.  The Bureau operates in accordance with the Statistical Directive (New Draft) of 1972, and most of the Bureau’s work focuses on the preparation of constant statistical data – monthly, multi-year and biennial – on the following subjects: the national economy (GNP, consumption, investment, work productivity, savings), the balance of payments and foreign trade, activity in various branches of the economy (agriculture, industry, construction, transportation, trade and services, etc.), changes in the prices of goods and services, the population (composition and factors leading to growth), families and their socio-economic situation (size, employment and unemployment status, etc.), level of education, health, crime and services provided to the population by central State and local institutions, etc. 

In addition to these activities, the Central Bureau of Statistics conducts the Population and Housing Census (usually once in a decade), as well as surveys and cyclical activities (conducted every few years, such as the family expenses survey, estimation-productivity tables, revisions to classifications and samples, etc.), as well as one-time only surveys.  These activities provide detailed data (geographic, by sector, etc.) regarding central phenomena in the economy and society, which is also used as a basis for updating statistical systems.