LibGuides: International Statistics: General Sources: World Coverage

Statistical Yearbooks

Many countries publish statistical yearbooks or maintain websites for a national statistical agency. There are several ways to access:

Information on National Statistical Systems
The United Nations Statistics Division, in its mission to promote the development of national statistical systems, has developed a central repository of country profiles of statistical systems.
Country Statistical Yearbooks
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries maintain a guide with links to online publications.
Library Catalog
MSU Libraries collects many of these yearbooks, check our library catalog for holdings.

Historical International Statistics

World Almanac and Book of Facts
Call Number: AY 67.N5 W7
Publication Date: 1893-present
[Latest edition at Reference Desk; earlier in Remote Storage] Annual. 1893 on. Good place to look for basic statistics before 1945.

Most sources of online statistics do not included data prior to 1950. Consulting print sources may be required. Many of the electronic sources listed in this guide include information about their print counterparts.

International historical statistics
Call Number: Reference, 1 East HA1107 .M5
ISBN: 9780230005143
This series includes volumes for Europe [HA1107 .M5 2007]; Americas [HA175 .M55 2007]; Africa, Asia, and Oceania [HA4675 .M552 2007]. Statistics cover the years 1750-2005.

Statistical Indexes & Databases

Major Statistical Indexes & Databases
Link to guide with descriptions of the major multidisciplinary subscription statistical indexes and databases at the MSU Libraries

Statista This link opens in a new window
Provides statistics and reports on a wide variety of topics including agriculture, advertising, health, hospitality, consumer goods and services, sports, technology, transportation, and much more.

Country Descriptions with Statistics

Europa World This link opens in a new window
Europa World is the online version of the Europa World Yearbook, one of the leading reference sources on international affairs. It covers political and economic information on over 250 countries, plus international organizations.

The Statesman's Yearbook
Quick reference data on area, population, defense, economy, energy, natural resources, industry and trade, communications, religion, education and welfare. Alphabetical arrangement by country. Also provides selected information on major international organizations. Good for pre-1945 statistics, particularly for the British Empire.

CIA World Factbook This link opens in a new window
Most recent edition of the CIA World Factbook (available in print beginning in 1981 in the Main Library at G122.U56). Offers country profiles covering geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues. Includes maps and country flags.

United Nations

UNData This link opens in a new window
UNdata is a web-based data service for the global user community. It brings international statistical databases within easy reach of users through a single-entry point. Users can search and download a variety of statistical resources compiled by the United Nations (UN) statistical system and other international agencies. The numerous databases or tables collectively known as "datamarts" contain over 60 million data points and cover a wide range of statistical themes including agriculture, crime, communication, development assistance, education, energy, environment, finance, gender, health, labour market, manufacturing, national accounts, population and migration, science and technology, tourism, transport and trade.

UN Statistics Division
This main website provides information on all of the major statistical programs of the central UN, with links to databases and reports. Includes a listing of specialized agencies of the UN and their statistical programs.
Human Development Report
Data on a variety of quality of life (e.g., access to health care, life expectancy, education) variables are provided.
Least Developed Countries Report
This annual report provides a comprehensive and authoritative source of socio-economic analysis and data on the world´s most impoverished countries.
Social Indicators
Social indicators covering a wide range of subject-matter fields are compiled by the Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, from many national and international sources.
Statistical Yearbook
The Statistical Yearbook provides in a single volume a comprehensive compilation of internationally available statistics on social and economic conditions and activities, at world, regional and national levels, for an appropriate historical period. It is prepared by the Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, of the United Nations Secretariat.
UN Comtrade
Free access to detailed global trade data. UN Comtrade is a repository of official international trade statistics and relevant analytical tables.

World Bank

World Bank Open Data This link opens in a new window
The World Bank's Open Data initiative is intended to provide all users with access to World Bank data. The data catalog is a listing of available World Bank data sources.
World DataBank This link opens in a new window
Available from the World Bank, DataBank is an analysis and visualization tool that contains collections of time series data on a variety of topics. Includes World Development Indicators & Global Development Finance, Education Statistics, Gender Statistics, Doing Business, and more.

World Development Indicators
The World Development Indicators is a compilation of relevant, high-quality, and internationally comparable statistics about global development and the fight against poverty. The database contains 1,400 time series indicators for 217 economies and more than 40 country groups, with data for many indicators going back more than 50 years.

International Monetary Fund

IMF Data

OECD

OECD iLibrary Statistics This link opens in a new window
OECD Statistical Data cover the broad range of OECD activities including finance, sustainable development, social issues, food and agriculture, education, employment, information technology, nuclear energy, transport, and much more.
OECD iLibrary This link opens in a new window
OECD iLibrary is the online library of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) featuring its books, papers and statistics and is the gateway to OECD’s analysis and data. OECD iLibrary also contains content published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), the OECD Development Centre, PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment), and the International Transport Forum (ITF).
Former platform called SourceOECD.

MSU Libraries

Research Guides

International Statistics: General Sources: World Coverage