International Economics: Selected Resources

Note:  While governments are major producers of statistics, different countries collect and present their data in different ways.  Sometimes data may only be available in print; if available in electronic format, the information is often in the language of the country, not necessarily in English.  For additional resources, see Country Information.

Best starting points

• International Financial Statistics. (UST subscription database)
  Standard source of economic and financial data for most countries of the world.  From the International Monetary Fund.  Also available in print in OSF Library.
• OFFSTATS: Official Statistics on the Web.  University of Auckland.
  Links to many country web sites for statistics, as well as organizational data (United Nations, etc.) and resources by topic.  Economic and general data from official or similar 'quotable' sources.
• OECD Economic Surveys. (UST subscription)
  A valuable series of one-volume studies of the OECD countries containing good economic and political data, with tables and graphs. (These titles can also be found by searching the CLICnet catalog using a TITLE search: OECD Economic Surveys.)
• Stat-USA.  (UST subscription database)
  Excellent source for international economic information.  
• United Nations Statistics Division.
  An excellent site that gathers international statistics and indicators, links are also available to the statistical methods used by the source organizations.
• World Bank Data & Statistics.
  Data profiles from the World Development Indicators database.
• The World Factbook.  Central Intelligence Agency.
  Summary statistics and background information on different countries of the world (per capita GDP, inflation rate, unemployment rate, and more.)

U.S. government sites with international data

• International Data Base. (IDB)  U.S. Census Bureau.
  Statistical tables of demographic and socioeconomic data for 227 countries and areas of the world.
• Statistical Agencies (International).  U.S. Census Bureau.
  Site similar to OFFSTATS which compiles links to the statistical agencies of different countries.
• Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  International labor statistics, consumer prices, unemployment, compensation, productivity, price indexes, and more. 
• Bureau of Economic Analysis.
  Balance of payments, trade estimates, and more. 
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
  Cross-border freight data, North American transportation statistics, and more.
• Census Bureau: Foreign Trade Statistics.
  Includes foreign trade statistics by various country and commodity classification breakdowns. 
• Central Intelligence Agency.
  Includes the World Factbook, Chiefs of State and Cabinet Members of Foreign Governments, and related data.
• Department of State.
  See especially the "Countries" section for regional and country information.
• Energy Information Administration.
  The "International" section includes statistical reports, analyses, and forecasts.
• Foreign Agricultural Service.
  Covers world production, market, and trade reports.
• International Trade Administration.
  Information on trade, exports, jobs, and foreign investment.
• U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Research Program.
  Mineral commodities in 180 countries. 

United Nations sites with international data

• InfoNation. 
  Compare countries on various economics and social indicators.
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOSTAT).
  Time series and cross-sectional data on food and agriculture for 200 countries.
• U.N. Development Programme.
  See "Countries" for the latest Human Development Report and factsheets for countries and regions.
• U.N. Economic Commission for Europe.
  Country overviews, plus a number of economic and social statistics for European countries.
• U.N. Environment Programme.
  Historical population data.
• U.N. Statistics Division.
  Economic, social, and environmental statistics, with selected tables from the Demographic Yearbook and World Population Prospects.
• UNESCO Institute for Statistics
• UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)

Historic data

• National Bureau of Economic Research Working Papers.  (UST subscription database)
  Extensive collection of economic statistics, research, historic data, working papers, etc.  Primarily U.S., but some international information.
• Economagic.com's Economic Time Series Page.
  Comprehensive collection of free economic time series data for economic research and forecasting.  Primarily U.S. data but also includes Canada and Japan. Also has U.S. automotive data.
• Center for International Comparisons. University of Pennsylvania.
  Comparison of national accounts statistics.
• Penn World Tables.
  Database of statistics on countries worldwide, including GDP, cost of living, etc.  Versions include PWT 6.1 (October 2002) and PWT Mark 5.6 (updated through 1991.)
• International Historical Statistics. (at OSF Library)
  Africa, Asia, & Oceania, 1750-2000.    Ref. HA 4675 .M552
  The Americas, 1750-2000.     Ref. HA 165 .M55
  Europe, 1750-2000.    Ref. HA 1107 .M5 
• Statistical Yearbook.  United Nations.  Ref. HA 12.5.Un3 (at OSF Library)
  Basic international statistics often covering a ten-year period for the UN. Among the sections are basic economic activity, populations, health, education, science and technology. Slow in publication. 

Comprehensive sites 

• Resources for Economists on the Internet. 
  This has been called the "most comprehensive guide to economics on the Internet."  Includes U.S. and international statistical sources.
• Statistical Resources on the Web: Comprehensive Economics.  University of Michigan Documents Center.
  Primarily U.S. in focus, with some international coverage.
• World Wide Web Resources for Economics.
  Includes material of interest to academic economists.
• Econ Data and Links.   Department of Economics, CSU Fresno.
• Econ Links, International Resources.  Scott Simkins, North Carolina A&T State University.
  Developed by Dr. Simkins to provide easy access to basic economic and financial information on the World Wide Web for students in economics and business courses. 
• NationMaster.com.
  Provides country and regional graphs and descriptive statistics based on geography, military, economy, crime, education, and transportation.  Based on numerical data from the World Factbook.

Specialized sources

• Currency Converter.   OANDA.
  Find current and historical currency rates for 164 countries. 
• Direction of Trade Statistics Yearbook.  International Monetary Fund.
  Ref. HF 91 .I65 (at OSF Library)
  Table with current data collected by the IMF on about 150 countries for values of imports from and exports to their most important trading partners. Figures for most recent seven years.  Updated by the quarterly periodical, Direction of Trade Statistics Quarterly. (at OSF Library.) 
• Human Development Report.  United Nations Development Programme.
  Looks at several indexes to assess people's long-term well-being.  Includes health statistics.  You can search by indicator or country name. 
• World Development Report.  Also Ref. HC 59.7 .W659 (at OSF Library)
  Published by the World Bank on a different topic each year.  World Development Indicators, the statistical portion, presents selected social, economic, and demographic data on 180 countries.
• World Economic Outlook.    Ref. HC 59.W64 (at OSF Library)
  Forecasts from the International Monetary Fund with tables and charts for both industrial and developing economies.  

Topics: poverty, public policy

• Economic and Social Policy Institutes. Scott Simkins, North Carolina A&T State University.
• Institute for Research on Poverty.  University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• SpeakOut.com.
• World Bank PovertyNet.
• World Development Report.   Also Ref. HC 59.7 .W659 (at OSF Library)
  Published by the World Bank on a different topic each year.  World Development Indicators, the statistical portion, presents selected social, economic, and demographic data on 180 countries.
• United Nations Statistics Division: Social Indicators.

Topics: human development, human rights

• Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.  U.S. State Department.
• Making Pregnancy Safer: Country Progress Reports. (World Health Organization)
• International Government Reports. (from GovSpot.com)
• United Nations Development Programme: Countries.
• World Bank Data by Country.

See also Human Rights Resources.

Updated November 2007.