Some statistics of Galactic SNRs

The selection effects applicable to the identification of Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) at radio wavelengths are discussed. Low surface brightness remnants are missing, as are those with small angular sizes (including young but distant SNRs). Several statistical properties of Galactic SNRs are discussed, including the surface-brightness/diameter (Σ-D) relation. The wide range of intrinsic properties of Galactic remnants with known distances, and the observational selection effects, means that the Σ-D relation is of limited use to derive diameters and hence distances for individual SNRs, or for statistical studies.