Best sources of data in international development
Data is essential to so much of the work we do in international development and underpins good research. While data can at times feel very scarce, there are some excellent sources of free data available. We have a few favourites, and this led to an article on the top 10 sources of data in international development which was featured in the Guardian, and aimed to provide a useful quick guide. The hope was this would provide a useful resource and touch on some sources that some researchers may not have accessed or been aware of. We have added to these over time, with new sources on education added, and hopefully this can make this a useful resource for the future as well.
The article was featured on the Impact and Effectiveness section of the Guardian’s Global Development Professionals Network, setting out the top 10 sources of data for international development research.
1. The Atlas of Global Complexity
This is a fantastic source of data on the complexity of production across the world and underpins any good understanding of a country’s relative economic position.
2. International Energy Agency (IEA)
Much good climate and energy data remains behind paywalls, but the IEA has a lot of data free to access. This is essential to understand climate mitigation and trajectories.
International transactions in land are becoming more common and have become a major focus in climate and agriculture, and this data source is unbeatable on the topic.
The excellence of International Monetary Fund data can be easy to forget as they rarely promote themselves. Article iv reports should be the first stop for understanding any country.
5. Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP)
The UCDP is by far the best source of information on historical and ongoing global conflicts. An extensive database to go to particularly when working on FCAS countries.
6. World Bank Doing Business reports / data
The Doing Business surveys unfortunately discontinued from 2020. While not perfect, they provide data you can’t find elsewhere including on tax, costs of trade and other key topics.
7. World Development indicators (WDI)
The World Bank’s WDI is ultimately a collation of many other sources of data. Whichever country you are working on, download this first as it may save you hours searching elsewhere.
8. Human Development Index (HDI)
It is important to be extremely careful when analysing poverty data, to include non-income measures. The UNDP’s HDI and HDRs should be first point of call for this.
9. UN Comtrade global trade database
Always be cautious of data when it is high-level, you learn this from trade data more than elsewhere. The UN’s Comtrade is insurpassable for granular data on imports and exports.
10. The OECD aid flows database
Aid flow data can be hard to find. Luckily the OECD aid flows database shows flows of aid to developing countries from OECD countries as well as multilateral and even private donors.
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