Research Guides: International Affairs: International Statistics Sources

Major Sources

Census Bureau International Programs Center
Find tabular data for countries and regions as well as demographic indicators, population pyramids and source information for countries.
CIA World Fact Book
The World Fact Book is produced annually by the CIA and provides current data for more than 250 countries and territories. Topics include political climate, natural resources, environment, ethnic groups, population, GDP, agriculture, industries, and more.
Eurostat
Provides statistics for European Union members that enable comparisons between countries and regions in the areas of economics, population and social conditions, industry and trade, agriculture, transportation, environment and energy and science and technology.
SIPRI Databases
SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Its databases include data on military expenditures, arms transfers and embargoes, peace operations and international relations.
UN Country Information
Provides a data snapshot including economic and social indicators and environmental statistics
UN Demographic and Social Statistics
Provides links to data and reports from the UN covering demographic and social statistics.
UNData
Provides 15 databases from different UN agencies covering agriculture, health, human development, communication technology, industry, population, refugees, trade and tourism.

World Bank Data This link opens in a new window
Free and open access to a comprehensive set of data about development in countries around the globe. Databases available include World Development Indicators, Global Development Finance, African Development Indicators, Global Economic Monitor, Doing Business Database and many more.
World Bank Data: World Development Indicators This link opens in a new window
Provides over 550 development indicators with time series for 207 countries and 18 country groups, 1960-present (where data is available).

World Religion Database This link opens in a new window
Contains detailed statistics on religious affiliation for every country of the world. Provides source material, including censuses and surveys, as well as best estimates for every religion to offer a picture of international religious demography. Estimates cover the period 1900 to 2050.

Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)
Provides access to data about American and international collections and includes features for educators, journalists, religious congregations, and researchers.
Religion and State (RAS) Project
Provides a set of measures that systematically gauge the intersection between government and religion.
US State Department International Religious Freedom Report
Provides detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom. It includes individual country chapters on the status of religious freedom worldwide.

Freedom House Data This link opens in a new window
Provides a comparative assessment of global political rights and civil liberties.

Human Rights Watch
Reports from the independent Human Rights Watch organization.
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Human rights reports from the Organization of American States.
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)
Provides country profiles, electoral system design, political finance database, quotas for women and voter turnout.
PARLINE
Provides general information on each of 265 parliament's chambers in all of the 189 countries with a national legislature. The database also includes a description of the electoral system in each country and results of elections.

Polity IV This link opens in a new window
Provides coding for the authority characteristics of states in the world system for purposes of comparative, quantitative analysis.

GenderInfo (UN Database)
Provides current global gender statistics and indicators on a wide range of policy areas, including: population, families, health, education, work, and political participation.

Woman Stats Project This link opens in a new window
A compilation of qualitative and quantitative information on over 294 indicators of women's status in 174 countries.

Pew Global Attitudes Project
Provides a series of worldwide public opinion surveys that encompasses a broad array of subjects ranging from people's assessments of their own lives to their views about the current state of the world and important issues of the day.
World Values Survey
Provides survey data about values and cultural changes in societies all over the world. Topics include "Perceptions of Life," "The Environment," "Work," "Family," "Politics and Society," "Religion and Morale," and "National Identity."

Eurostat
Provides statistics for European Union members that enable comparisons between countries and regions in the areas of economics, population and social conditions, industry and trade, agriculture, transportation, environment and energy and science and technology.

International Financial Statistics from the IMF This link opens in a new window
Provides approximately 32,000 time series covering more than 200 countries starting in 1948. Includes exchange rates, Fund accounts and the main global and country economic indicators. 5 users.
KOF Index of Globalization This link opens in a new window
The KOF Index of Globalization measures the three main dimensions of globalization: economic, social, and political. Data are available on a yearly basis for 158 countries over the period 1970 - 2006.

OECD.Stat
OECD.Stat includes data and metadata for OECD countries and selected non-member economies. Statistics include GDP, employment, income, population, education, labor, trade, finance and more.
Penn World Tables

International Debt Statistics This link opens in a new window
International Debt Statistics (IDS)—formerly known as Global Development Finance (GDF)—provides external debt and financial flows statistics for countries that report public and publicly-guaranteed debt under the World Bank's Debtor Reporting System (DRS), 1970-present (where data is available).
World Bank Data: World Development Indicators This link opens in a new window
Provides over 550 development indicators with time series for 207 countries and 18 country groups, 1960-present (where data is available).

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Country Profiles
Provides an archive of information on global activities in agriculture and development in a single area and catalogues it exclusively by country. Topics include biotechnology, fisheries, forestry, nutrition, water and food security.
World Resources Report
Analysis of major environmental and development issues from the United Nations.