Librarian
Literacy Rate
The adult literacy rate in 2012, from UNESCO's Institute for Statistics (part of UNdata).
Key UN Data Sources
- UNdata This link opens in a new windowOver 300 sets of economic, social, and financial statistics from a wide assortment of United Nations agencies and other international organizations. Most data are available in time series from 1970 or 1980 to the present. (Statistics for some items lag by several years.)
- UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade) This link opens in a new windowAnnual compilation of trade statistics from over 130 countries, detailed by commodity and partner country. The data are processed into a standard format with consistent coding and valuation. All values are converted into U.S. dollars using exchange rates supplied by the countries, or derived from monthly market rates and volume of trade. For many countries, the data coverage starts as far back as 1962 and goes up to the most recent completed year. [N.B.: GU only has access to the "free" version of Comtrade; we are not premium subscribers.]
- Monthly Bulletin of Statistics"current economic and social statistics for more than 200 countries and territories of the world. It contains 55 tables, comprising over 100 indicators, of monthly, quarterly and annual data on a variety of subjects."
- UN Statistical YearbookA summary compilation of some frequently viewed statistics. Includes data on population, education, employment, manufacturing, trade, and other categories. Analogous to the Statistical Abstract, only on a global scale.
- World Statistics PocketbookCountry profiles of some key economic indicators. Briefer than the Statistical Yearbook but helpful to view all information about a given country at once.
- Millenium Development Goals Indicators"This site presents the official data, definitions, methodologies and sources for more than 60 indicators to measure progress towards the Millennium Development Goals."
- POPIN: United Nations Population Information NetworkCollates population and other demographic information from several UN agencies.
- United Nations - Environmental Statistics - Country SnapshotsCountry Snapshots provide a selection of national environment statistics, complemented by key economic and social indicators.
- UN Statistics DivisionThe branch of the UN that collects and processes statistical information.
UN Economic and Trade Statistics
- World Bank Data Catalog This link opens in a new windowThe World Bank's Open Data initiative is intended to provide all users with access to World Bank data. These resources include databases, pre-formatted tables and reports.
- IMF Data This link opens in a new windowA portal to all IMF datasets, including International Financial Statistics (IFS), Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS), Government Finance Statistics (GFS), Balance of Payments Statistics (BOP, World and Regional Aggregates), Financial Access Survey (FAS), Coordinated Direct Investment Survey (CDIS), Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (CPIS) and International Reserves Template. You can search a combination of 308 countries, regions and NGOs. Contains 7325 economic concepts. Covers 1948-present. Freely available.
- WTO StatisticsData from the World Trade Organization on trade flows, tariffs, and trad agreements. Includes both global and country-specific data.
- UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database (Comtrade) This link opens in a new windowAnnual compilation of trade statistics from over 130 countries, detailed by commodity and partner country. The data are processed into a standard format with consistent coding and valuation. All values are converted into U.S. dollars using exchange rates supplied by the countries, or derived from monthly market rates and volume of trade. For many countries, the data coverage starts as far back as 1962 and goes up to the most recent completed year. [N.B.: GU only has access to the "free" version of Comtrade; we are not premium subscribers.]
UN Development Statistics
- WDI OnlineOnline version of the World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance. Comparable data collected by the World Bank to measure development outcomes. The World Bank's principal data source on the global economy. More than 550 time series, 1960-present, on more than 200 countries and 18 country groups, covering demographic, social, economic, financial, natural resources, and environmental indicators.
- UNICEF Statistics and MonitoringUNICEF measures the situation of children and women and tracks progress through data collection and analysis. It maintains and updates global databases and promotes dissemination of evidence-based data for planning and advocacy.
- FAOStat Agriculture Dataprovides time-series and cross sectional data from over 210 countries and territories covering statistics on agriculture, nutrition, fisheries, forestry, food aid, land use and population. 1961-
- WHO - Global Health Observatory (GHO)The World Health Organization's portal to global health data.
- Human Development Report (UNDP) DataGender Development Index (GDI); Human Development Index (HDI); Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI); Gender Inequality Index (GII); Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI)
UN Security and Disarmament Statistics
- IAEA - NUCLEUSNUCLEUS is the data portal of the International Atomic Energy Administration (IAEA) and provides access to a wide range of scientific and technical data about nuclear energy.
- United Nations Register of Conventional ArmsUN member states listing of export and import of conventional arms. Data shows military holdings and procurements.
- United Nations Report on Military ExpendituresMilitary expenditures of countries around the world. (Not all countries report to the UN.)
- UN Peacekeeping StatisticsData on UN peacekeeping missions, including civilian and military personnel deployed, contributions of member states, budgets, and fatalities. Current year data plus some selected historical data.
