This guide is a selective list of basic sources of macro-level economic statistics. It represents a sampling of what is available at Princeton. It does not attempt to be comprehensive. Aside from economic indicators and financial data, most data does not exist in electronic format. Historical data in electronic format prior to 1950 is rare. Always seek the assistance of a librarian when trying to get a complete picture of what is available. Most governmental links provide current data only. Separate detailed guides are available for Finance, Trade, Health, Environment, and Sports statistics as well as micro-level data.

The basic question to ask when looking for economic data is "Who cares about what I am studying?" Unfortunately, the answer will often be no one. Ideally, look for an organization that is concerned with your research as part of its mission. Examples include the International Labor Organization focusing on labor research; the International Monetary Fund focusing on monetary and fiscal concerns; the World Bank focusing on development. What exists for one country may not exist for another country. Data is generally inconsistent across borders. Always look at the methodology.

With the exception of some governmental data, very little data is available for free via the WEB. Sites such as Resources for Economists on the Internet and the Princeton University Library Economics Homepage provide good starting points for what is available via the WEB.

For a comparison of major sources, see

http://firestone.princeton.edu/econlib/econdatabasescompare.htm.

World Development Indicators
Annual economic, social, educational, environmental and health data from many of the World Bank's major statistical publications. Provides data from 1960 to the present.

Global Financial Data
Data on bonds, commodities, interest rates, stock markets and indices, futures, exchange rates, GDP, prices, and unemployment. World exchange rates back to 1624, inflation rates back to 1748, and wholesale prices back to 1720. Major commodities going back to 1784. Some annual series go back to the 1200s. Methodology and sources are documented. The stock market indices go back to 1693. Also included are data on stock market capitalization, dividend yields, price/earnings ratios, total return performance indices, and Global Financial Data's World Stock Market Indices.

Datastream International
International economic indicators on a time series basis. Data is derived from national governments and banks, IMF, OECD, other international agencies, and the company's own researchers.
Location: SSRC & STOKES

Economist Intelligence Unit
International economic, social, and political data and forecasts on a time series basis. Data is derived from national governments, trade associations, BIS, IMF, IFC, OECD, the World Bank, and EIU's own researchers. Consists of EIU Country Data (international economic data and forecasts on a time series basis), EIU Market Indicators and Forecasts (social, economic, and political risk data), EIU World Investment Service (foreign direct investment), and EIU City Data (detailed cost comparisons of major international cities). Some of their other services offer overviews of various international industries, commercial regulations, risk briefings, and update services. Textual analysis and forecasts can be found in the EIU Country Profiles, Reports, and Forecasts.

Global Insight (formerly DRI University Program)
Best source for United States national, state, and metropolitan data. International data includes IMF's International Financial Statistics, Direction of Trade, and Balance of Payments as well as OECD's Main Economic Indicators and National Accounts. Limited data coming directly from other countries is also included.

SourceOECD Statistics
Statistics on the OECD countries regarding topics such as general economic indicators, agriculture and food, bank profitability, economic forecasts, education, employment, globalization, industrial structure, institutional investors, international development, migration, trade, international direct investment, national accounts, governmental revenue, science and technology, services, social expenditure, industrial structural analysis, and telecommunications.

Banks' Cross-National Time-Series
Select data back to 1815; covers economic, social, and political indicators; superb source for political economy. The latest data has not yet been processed into an interface but is available in spreadsheets and by using the codebook. For more information see http://firestone.princeton.edu/econlib/Banks.htm

BASIC U.S. STATISTICAL SOURCES:

In addition to the megasources found in Part I, the following sources will provide macroeconomic data for the United States.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
1st- 1878-
Annual.
Summary statistics on the social, political and economic organization of the United States. Compiled from publications and records of various government and private agencies, it is designed to serve both as a convenient reference volume and as a guide to other statistical sources. Emphasis is on national data but many tables include statistics on states, regions and foreign countries. Tables generally cover a period of 10 to 20 years, although some begin around 1800.
(SXF) HA202.U58 (latest edition on ready reference)

Historical Statistics of the United States, Millennial Edition
Statistical series on subjects ranging from population and land area to production figures for crops and manufactured products. Coverage begins with the colonial and pre-Federal period and goes up to 2000. Detailed documentation provides brief histories of the statistical series and source materials.
(SXF) HA202.H57 (Ready Reference)

U.S. Council of Economic Advisers.
Economic Indicators
Monthly report presenting monthly, quarterly, and annual data for national economic indicators. Contains approximately 45 tables accompanied by illustrative charts. Economic Indicators, supplement 1980 presents historical data and descriptive material on the sources, uses, and limitations of the data series. It is issued every 10 years.
HC101.A165q
Current issues in SSRC (Stack 2)

U.S. President.
Economic Report of the President
Annual report containing texts of the President's economic report, summarizing the Administration's economic policy, and of the Council of Economic Advisers report, reviewing in detail the progress of the economy and the Administration's proposals and programs. An extensive appendix contains many long time series of statistics.
(SXF) HC106.5A4 (Also in Firestone Stacks)

Survey of Current Business
Bureau of Economic Analysis. Monthly.
One of the most important sources for current U.S. business statistics. Covers general business indicators, prices, domestic and foreign trade, labor force, employment and earnings, finance and the major industries. Special reports appear at intervals on national income and product accounts, international transactions, personal income and international investment both here and abroad. For long time series see Business Statistics of the United States ((SXF)HC101.A131222) and its predecessor, Business Statistics ((SXF)HC1.R1982q) published since 1951.
HC1.R1981q

County Business Patterns
1967+ (online); 1946+ (paper: HC106.5.A13)
Summary statistics extracted from the Census Bureau's Standard Statistical Establishment List (SSEL). Provide data on the total number of establishments, mid-March employment, first quarter and annual payroll, and the number of establishments by employment-size class for all business establishments with one or more paid employees. Data are tabulated by detailed kinds of business based on the 1972 revised Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) designations (for 1987 data and earlier years) and on 1987 revised SIC designations (for 1988 data and later years). The datasets contain data broken down by state and county, as well as United States summary data. SMSA summary data are not available from the Census Bureau after 1979. Data are provided for most divisions of the economy, including agricultural services, mining, construction, manufacturing, transportation, public utilities, wholesale trade, retail trade, finance, insurance, real estate, and services. However, data are not included for agriculture production, railroad, government, or household employment.

NATIONAL INCOME AND PRODUCT ACCOUNTS STATISTICS:

BUDGET:

FINANCIAL AND MONETARY STATISTICS:

Federal Reserve Bulletin
Monthly journal reporting current Federal Reserve policies and operations and providing analyses and data on monetary and credit developments. Extensive statistical section includes statistics on the money stock, interest rates, commercial banking, the financial markets, federal finance, the securities markets, corporate finance, real estate, consumer credit, flow of funds, international transactions and foreign exchange rates. Tables give weekly, monthly or quarterly data. Since 2004 the statistics are separated into a Supplement.
HG2401.A5

Guide to the Flow of Funds Accounts
Explains how the flow of funds accounts are formulated and constructed and lists the source material for deriving the series.
(SXF) HB142.5.G85 2000

Historical Statistics on Banking
Contains both structure and financial data on insured banks. Covers from 1934 to 2005.
updated by:
Statistics on Banking

U.S. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Banking and Monetary Statistics. Washington, 1943
Presents the major statistical series relating to banking, monetary and other financial developments. This volume covers 1914-1941.
(SXF) HG2493.A3

U.S. Board of Governors...
Banking and Monetary Statistics. 1941-1970. These tables are updated in the Annual statistical digest.
(SXF) HG2493.U49.1976a

U.S. Board of Governors...
Annual Statistical Digest. 1970-.
Annual report presenting data on Federal Reserve operations, the banking industry, securities markets, Federal finance, mortgages, credit, and international finance. Report is designed to provide historical data for tables in the Federal Reserve Bulletin and to continue series that no longer appears in the Bulletin.
(SXF) HG181.A1U55a

LABOR STATISTICS:

TAX STATISTICS AND GOVERNMENT FINANCE

CENSUS PUBLICATIONS:

Background Sources

Economic and Political Risk

Basic International Statistical Sources

United Nations. Statistics Division.
Among the many publications of the UN Statistics Division are yearbooks on: Construction, Energy, Industrial Statistics, International Trade, National Accounts and Demography.
UN Sales publications - Categories XIII & XVII (Located in SSRC - UN Stacks 84 & 85.)
For 1926-1944, use the Statistical Yearbook of the League of Nations.

Penn World Tables of Economic & Social Indicators 1950-2000
Economic and social indicators for 179 countries

OECD Historical Statistics
Annual publication containing basic macroeconomic statistics similar to those found in the Economic Outlook -- percentage rates of change and percentage ratios or shares -- but spanning a period of over thirty years.
(SXF) HC10.O615
Ready Reference

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Main Economic Indicators
1960+
Provides monthly and quarterly long-term data for each country on national product, production, labor and wages, interest rates, balance of payments, etc.
(SXF) HC10.O61
Ready Reference

Eurostat
National and regional economic and social indicators for the European Community and its member states.

Historical Compilations

Maddison, Angus. The World Economy: Volume 1: A Millennial Perspective and Volume 2: Historical Statistics . Paris : Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, 2001-2003.
(SXF) HC21.M285 2006

Mitchell, B.R. International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia, and Oceania, 1750-2000. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2003.
(SSRC Ready Reference) HA4675.M552 2003

Mitchell, B.R. International Historical Statistics: The Americas, 1750-2000. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2003.
(SSRC Ready Reference) HA175.M553 2003

Mitchell, B.R. International Historical Statistics: Europe, 1750-2000. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2003.
(SSRC Ready Reference) HA1107.M5 2003

Historical Statistics of Canada. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 1983.
(SSRC Ready Reference) HA745.H57 1983q

Financial and Monetary Statistics

International Financial Statistics Yearbook
Annual. 1948+ .
Includes data on each country's exchange rates, international liquidity, money and banking, national accounts, prices, and exports. Beginning in 2003 accompanied by Country Notes which provides sources and methodology for each country. Updated by the monthly International Financial Statistics (SSRC - Stack 3).
HG3881.I574 (current volume on SSRC Ready Reference)
For data in electronic format, use Datastream International or Global Insight.

Bank for International Settlements
Annual Report of the Bank for International Settlements
The BIS serves as a forum for international monetary and financial cooperation. It serves as a bank for central banks and plays an important role in providing central banks with a broad range of financial services for managing their external reserves. The annual report is an important source for asset prices, exchange rates, and capital flows. 1931-2005 are available online and are searchable across the years. The BIS reports the bank holdings of foreign assets and liabilities for approximately 236 countries and/or regions. Other tables from August 1996 forward, can be found through the web version of BIS Quarterly Review.
HG1997.I6A2 (Current Volume in SXF)

Annual Report on Exchange Arrangements and Exchange Restrictions
Annual, 1950+.
IMF publication which provides a description of the foreign exchange arrangements, exchange and trade restrictions, and to a limited extent, prudential measures of individual IMF member countries plus Hong Kong, Aruba, and the Netherlands Antilles. Attempts to describe exchange and trade systems. Also useful for determining restrictions on foreign investment.
HG3834.I61

Development and Foreign Investment Statistics

EIU World Investment Service
1980-
Covers the world's 60 largest economies and provides detailed data and analysis on the political and economic background, the business environment, business costs, foreign investment regulations, trends in foreign investment. Plus a detailed database containing flows of investment and mergers & acquisitions by country and by industry.

UNCTAD
World Investment Report
1991-
Most comprehensive source of information and analysis for foreign direct investment.
(UN) HG4538.W673

UNCTAD
Foreign Direct Investment Database
1970-
Statistics on foreign direct investment (FDI).  Presented in 2 separate products: an interactive database for the aggregate figures and an electronic publication with the detailed information by country. The FDI database presents aggregate inflows, outflows, inward stocks and outward stocks of foreign direct investment (FDI) for 196 reporting economies in an interactive format. Detailed statistics on foreign direct investment (FDI) and operations of transnational corporations (TNCs) in selected countries are available at the World Investment Directory on-line . Updates, forecasts, analysis of the data and other activities related to FDI are available at the FDI Statistics site of the Division on Investment, Technology and Enterprise Development . Data on transnational corporations and cross border mergers and acquistions can also be found. Princeton has purchased a select set of very detailed data which includes bilateral country flows and FDI by industry.

International Monetary Fund
Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook
Annual. 1981-
Detailed balance of payments data for current account (goods and services), capital account, financial account (direct and portfolio investment), and reserves. World and regional tables are also presented. Includes a detailed section on methodology, compilation practices, and data sources.
HF1014.I612 (current edition on SSRC Ready Reference)
For data prior to 1981 and back to 1938, see Balance of Payments Yearbook HF1014 .I61
For definitions, see Balance of Payments Manual (SXF) HG3881 .I5766 1993 and its supplement on Financial Derivatives at HG6024.A3F556 2000. Data is available electronically through Global Insight.

OECD
International Direct Investment Statistics Yearbook
Annual. 1993- .
Details historical statistics on international direct investment to and from the OECD. Data are broken down by geographical zone and industrial sector for direct investment flows and stocks.
(SXF) HG4538 .I5355

World Bank
Global Development Finance
1970+
Tracks the annual movement of international capital flows to developing countries.

World Development Report
Annual 1978+
Each issue focuses on several special topics relating to the state of the world economy. The annex, World Development Indicators, provides a wealth of current statistical information on the countries of the world and the years 1978-1996 are available on CD under DSS Study Number 5009.
(SXF) HC59.7.W6


The Least Developed Countries
Biennial socio-economic analysis and data on the world's 50 least developed countries. Examines the relationship between trade and development objectives.
(UN) HC59.7 .L328

UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics
Collection of statistical data relevant to the analysis of world trade, investment and development, for individual countries and for economic and trade groupings. Data are presented in an analytical way, through the use of rank orderings, growth rates and other special calculations, with a view to facilitate their interpretation. Also offers: export/import concentration indices by product; diversification and structural change in trade indices; instability indices of prices of primary commodities; and environmental protection and tourism indicators.
(UN) HF91 .H35q Also available on CD-ROM. See DSS Study Number 5015.
This title continues Handbook of International Trade and Development Statistics (1964-1995) located at HF91.H35.
(UN) HF91.H35q

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Geographical Distribution of Financial Flows to Aid Recipients 1960-
Data on the volume, origin, and types of aid and other resource flows to over 180 recipient countries. Shows each country's take of official development assistance or official aid, other official and private funding from members of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD, multilateral agencies and other donors. Key development indicators for each recepient country are also available.
HC60.O73Eq (current volume in SXF)

World Food Programme
Food Aid Monitor 1990-
Annual report examining food aid flows worldwide. Includes data on food aid deliveries, by purpose, commodity, supply mode, world region of purchase, recipient country and world region, and donor country. Current issue is available on the WEB. Older issues on Microfiche (IIS 4610-S3)

World Bank
Annual Review of Development Effectiveness
1988+
Looks at the growth and poverty reduction experience of client countries and assesses the contributions that World Bank interventions have made.
HG3881.5.W57 E82

Annual Report. International Monetary Fund
1946+
Arrangements approved or extended by the IMF as well as disbursements, repurchases, and repayments.
HG3881.I57

Industrial Statistics

United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Industrial Statistics Database
Annual. 1963-
Time series data on the number of establishments, employment, wages and salaries, output, value added, gross fixed capital formation, and number of female employees for the period covering 1990 onwards. The data are arranged at the 3- and 4-digit level of ISIC (Revision 3) pertaining to the manufacturing sector, which comprises 151 manufacturing categories. Data back to 1981 is arranged according to ISIC (Revivsion 2) at the four-digit level, which comprises 81 manufacturing industries. DSS Study 5031 For data at the 3 digit level of ISIC (Revision 2) back to 1963 covering 29 industries, see DSS Study 5005.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Industrial Demand-Supply Balance Databases
Annual. 1981-
Includes domestic output, total imports, apparent consumption, imports and exports to/from industrialized and developing countries. Data pertains to manufacturing and are arranged according to Revision 3 (data back to 1990) or Revision 2 (data back to 1981) of ISIC at the 4-digit level, which comprises 127 manufacturing industries (or 81 industries). DSS Study 5032.

Labor Statistics

Budgetary Statistics

For tax rates, start with University of Michigan's World Tax Database.

International Monetary Fund
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook
Annual. Includes data on each country's central government's revenue, expenditure, lending minus repayments, financing, and debt. Online extraction has data through December 2002. More recent data is on CD-ROM. Documentation can be found in Government Finance Statistics Manual {(SXF) HJ131.M36}.
HJ101.G59 (current volume on SSRC Ready Reference)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
National Accounts. 1950-
Covers long term time series of national accounts statistics. Vol. I: Main Aggregates, Vol. II: Detailed Tables.
HC10.O63q and .O632q (SXF)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Revenue Statistics. 1965-
Long term time series of detailed and internationally comparable tax data for the OECD member countries.
HJ2279.O75a (Current volume on SSRC Ready Reference)

Lexis-Nexis Statistical
Index to statistical publications issued by the U.S. Government, international inter-governmental organizations, and non-U.S. governmental sources including governments, associations, commercial publishers, universities, and independent research organizations. Equivalent of the following 3 indexes: American Statistics Index, Statistical Reference Index, and Index to International Statistics.

American Statistics Index
1973-
Designed to locate statistics published by all U.S. government agencies and Congressional communities. Arranged by subject and name, by title and report number, the index gives the abstract number. The abstract volume provides a detailed description of the statistics included in each publication. Microfiche copies of almost all reports beginning with 1973.
SSRC Index Tables I10-I11

Statistical Reference Index
1980-
Indexes American statistical publications from non-U.S. Governmental sources: associations, commercial publishers, independent research organizations, state governments and universities. Microfiche copies of many of the publications are available.
SSRC Index Tables I12-I13

Index to International Statistics
1983-
Indexes statistical publications issued by international and inter-governmental organizations. Many of the publications indexed are available on microfiche.
SSRC Index Tables I9

TableBase
Tabular information of a strategic nature. Every record has a unique table title which aids users in making precise selection of tables that meet their searching needs. Many of the table records also have textual content which supports the data in the tables. Provides information such as: market share, market size, capacity, production, imports, exports, sales, product and brand rankings, forecasts, healthcare statistics, and demographics. Drawn from industry publications, trade and popular magazines, statistical annuals, brokerage reports, trade association reports, and governmental reports.

Canadian Research Index 1982-
Index to Canadian federal, provincial, and territorial documents. The social science and the telecommunications collection is available for 1988-2000 in SSRC Microforms. To obtain other documents, please contact the Economics Librarian. For recent, free federal level Canadian documents, search the Statistics Canada Catalog.