Research and Course Guides: *Datasets & Statistics Guide: International Data

Comprehensive International Sources

This page provides links to UST subscription databases and free web sites with a vast selection of international statistical data.

The first three here will require login with your UST username and password, while the rest are free web sites.

Passport This link opens in a new window
Euromonitor Global Market Information database has excellent statistical data. Best strategy to find statistics is to either 1) keyword search on country/indicator (e.g. germany unemployment), or 2) click Search>Menu search, and drill in to browse categories of data, select it, then pick geography. Often has up to 40 years data, easily converts to common currency or per capita measures. Interface can be tough to search, so ask an Economics or Business Librarian for help. Restricted to UST students, faculty, and staff. Even on campus you must log in with your UST username/password. Euromonitor GMID provides market research on countries, markets and companies. It includes country demographics and economic conditions; consumer lifestyle profiles; sales volume, value and forecasts for 350 retail products; information on major brands and companies. Data can be downloaded into Excel spreadsheets.
International Financial Statistics Online This link opens in a new window
Sponsored by the International Monetary Fund, IFS is a standard source of economic and financial data for most countries of the world. Includes many macroeconomic indicators including measures of money supply, exchange rates, trade/balance of payments, prices/inflation, interest rates, employment, and national income & product accounts. Useful for international economics and business statistical data needs. Can search for indicators & countries and download to Excel.
International Historical Statistics This link opens in a new window
IHS contains a vast array of statistical data for the countries of the world from 1750-2010.Data series include population, economic, infrastructure, media, education, etc. Frequency and coverage of data vary by series and country. View or download in PDF or MS Excel formats.
Cross National Time Series (CNTS) Data Archive This link opens in a new window
CNTS contains annual time series data on 196 political, economic, and business variables from 1815 to the present for over 200 countries. Also includes domestic conflict event data on terrorism and guerrilla warfare, assassinations, revolutions, etc., with links to web articles describing the events. Download the entire dataset in Excel, with separate files for the event links and data documentation.
CNTSDATA.xlsx is the main dataset file. The Events Data LINKS files are separate by year. Be sure to consult the User Manual and the Codebook for data definitions and usage tips.

CIA World Factbook
The U.S. government's complete geographical handbook, featuring 268 full-color maps and flags of all nations and geographical entities. Each country profile tracks such demographics as population, ethnicity and literacy rates, as well as political, geographical and economic data. Free web site.
Country Statistics Yearbooks
Links compile by UW-Madison Libraries.
Climate Change Data from the World Bank (via Sage Data/Data-Planet)
Statistical abstracts complete with infographics of World Bank indicators relevant to climate change and its impacts including exposure to climate change impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, etc. For a quick overview of the many indicators available in the vast Data-Planet repository relevant to climate, search on the keyword "climate".
Note: off-campus, copy and paste this prefix:
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?url=
in front of the individual DOI links within this guide.
FAOSTAT
Data on food and agriculture for 200+ countries. From the Unided Nation's Food and Agricultural Organization.
Global Oil & Gas Features Database
The Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory has published what it says is the “first-ever database inventory of oil and natural gas infrastructure information from the top hydrocarbon-producing and consuming countries in the world.” The database contains tons of geospatial information and “identifies more than 4.8 million individual features like wells, pipelines, and ports from more than 380 datasets in 194 countries. It includes information about the type, age, status, and owner/operator of infrastructure features.” Helpful: The authors’ (detailed) methodology paper. [h/t Michael McLaughlin]
International Energy Agency Data & Statistics
Site sponsored by IEA has some free international energy datasets.
Millennium Development Goals (via Sage Data/Data-Planet)
Quick access to data on the MDGs from Data-Planet.
Note: off-campus, copy and paste this prefix:
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?url=
in front of the individual DOI links within this guide.
OECD Economic Surveys
Comprehensive economic analyses of OECD member and non-member countries
Penn World Tables
The Penn World Table provides purchasing power parity and national income accounts converted to international prices for 189 countries for some or all of the years 1950-2007.
UN ComTrade
International merchandise trade statistics from the United Nations.
UN Data
The main statistical data search page for the United Nations. Retrieves information across disparate UN databases, from countries around the world. See the "Metadata" link to see information about data sets, and the "More" link to see an advanced search and an "Explorer" view that allows you to browse by data set, source, or topic.
UN Sustainable Development Goals Indicators
Database of downloadable indicators on sustainability.
World Bank Countries & Regions
Includes country profiles, statistics, and general reports.
World Bank data portal
A new site searchable by country, topic, or indicator.
World Development Indicators
"The World Development Indicators (WDI) provides a comprehensive selection of economic, social and environmental indicators, drawing on data from the World Bank and more than 30 partner agencies. The database covers more than 900 indicators for 210 economies with data back to 1960."
more...less...
The new WDI 2010 focuses its attention on the world’s progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDG targets are a framework for measuring progress set forth by United Nations and have been adopted by 189 nations. The introductory essays in the WDI 2010 highlight progress towards achieving these goals, which include eradicating poverty, reducing child mortality, ensuring environmental sustainability, and developing a global partnership for development.
World Development Report
World Development Indicators (the statistical portion) presents selected social, economic, and demographic data on 180 countries. This report is published by the World Bank on a different topic each year.
World Economic Outlook Databases
Selected macroeconomic data series including national accounts, inflation, unemployment rates, balance of payments, fiscal indicators, trade for countries and country groups (aggregates), and commodity prices. Data is available from 1980 to present. From the International Monetary Fund.

Other Data Finder sites

Use these sites as pointers to sources of statistical data from countries and international organizations.

International Statistical Agencies
Sites provided by the U.S. Census bureau providing like data from other countries
Internet Crossroads in Social Science Data
Annotated links to social science data sources by topic. From the University of Wisconsin.
The Correlates of War Project
Data sets on international conflicts, military capabilities, religious adherence, international trade, and others.

Search Across Categories with Data-Planet

Data-Planet help guides
See Sage Data's (formerly Data-Planet) help site for general help in searching and using the data sets, guides to specific sources, and links to statistical summaries by country or U.S. state.

Sovereign Debt Ratings

Sovereign Credit Ratings
From the globaleconomy.com.
Trading Economics: Sovereign Debt Ratings
Ratings by country from S & P, Moody's, Fitch, DBRS, and TE itself.

Income and Wealth Inequality; GINI Index

There are a variety of good sources on income inequality. The GINI coefficient or index is an international measure of income inequality within individual nations.

Global Repository of Income Dynamics
GRID collects and makes available international statistics on income inequality and income dynamics.
Princeton University Library: Gini Coefficients
FAQ listing over a dozen sources on income inequality.
Standardized World Income Inequality Database
"The goal of the Standardized World Income Inequality Database (SWIID) is to meet the needs of those engaged in broadly cross-national research by maximizing the comparability of income inequality data while maintaining the widest possible coverage across countries and over time." Maintained by U of Iowa professor Frederick Solt.
United Nations World Income Inequality Database
Presents information on income inequality for developed, developing, and transition countries.
World Bank GINI Index Data page
a concise explanation of the concepts, plus the data.
World Inequality Database
Aims to provide open and convenient access to the most extensive available database on the historical evolution of the world distribution of income and wealth, both within countries and between countries.

Passport This link opens in a new window
Search for GINI, pick countries, view data.

Historical Statistics

The World Economy: Historical Statistics by Angus Maddison
Call Number: HF1359 .M333 2003
ISBN: 9264104127
Publication Date: 2004-03-18
Provides historical statistics for countries of the world, back to 1500 for some indicators. Physical copy at OSF and online via the OECD iLibrary.

Americas

Data.Census.Gov
Data.Census.Gov, the portal that replaces American FactFinder, is the primary way to access U.S. Census Bureau data.
Statistics Canada
Canada's national statistics agency. Data on population, the economy, society, and culture.
CEPALSTAT
Gateway to statistical information of Latin America and the Caribbean countries. From the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC.)
Latinobarometro
Annual public opinion survey in 18 Latin American countries, representing more than 400 million inhabitants.

Europe

CIS STAT
Coordinates statistics for the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Eurostat
Detailed statistics on the European Union and candidate countries.

OECD Economics iLibrary This link opens in a new window
OECD Economics iLibrary is the online library of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Our subscription is limited to their Economics content and it contains journals, analytical reports, and statistical data from OECD and other international agencies. Includes the OECD Economic Outlook, OECD Economic Surveys, and their Factbook.

OECD (Organisation for Economic Development and Trade)
Provides economic statistics and reports for the organization and its member countries. News releases and working papers are available for free.
Europa
European Union portal site. Contains information about the governing body and member nations such as statistics, opinion polls, financial and advisory boards, links to institutions, and current legislation.
European Commission Public Opinion (Eurobarometer)
The European Commission monitors the evolution of public opinion of the member states. Includes surveys, studies, and opinion polls.