Subject Guides: Economics: Data sources

Data sources

Economics and Management subscribe to a number of databases you can access from the Social Sciences IT page. Databases include Refinitv Workspace and Datasteam, CRSP, CSMAR database, Mintel, IBISWorld, Bank Focus. Please contact econ-IT@york.ac.uk for any questions or access problems. The Library does not provide support for these databases.

Don't forget the tab above linking to the Data Practical Guide, where we've assembled a large number of resources sorted into Search Engines, UK & EU Datasets, International Datasets and Data Handling.

Financial data

See also the Company and Market Reports section within this guide.

Euromonitor Passport This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
published by market researchers Euromonitor International, Passport GMID presents selected data from international organizations such as the IMF and World Bank. This data underlies market reports and analysis of industry, country and consumer trends.

Euromonitor Passport gives access to business intelligence on industries, countries, economies and consumers.

- Intelligence on Countries (internationally comparable demographic, economic and ‘other’ statistics; analysis of business environment and economic outlook; country and regional profiles).
- Intelligence on Industries (market size data for hundreds of consumer products; forward-looking industry analysis and sector reports; company profiles, market shares and brand shares).
- Intelligence on Consumers (detailed income, expenditure and lifestyle statistics; analysis of lifestyles and changing demographics; emerging consumer trends and attitudes).

World Trade Organization: International Trade and Market Data
Free-to-access time series data and country profiles.

Social and economic data

UK Data Service
More than 6,000 collections of high quality social and economic data, from international organizations including the European Commission, International Labour Organization, International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

Also includes:
UK census data (1971-2011)
UK survey data
Cross-national survey data
International macro databanks
Cohort and longitudinal studies
Business microdata
Qualitative and mixed methods data

Consolidates and integrates four services established and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC): the Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS), the Secure Data Service, the Survey Question Bank and elements of the ESRC Census Programme.

The UK Data Service provides a unified point of access to more than 6,000 collections of high quality social and economic data, including UK Census data, government-funded surveys, longitudinal studies, international macrodata, qualitative data and business microdata.

For help with this resource, take a look at our Quick Guide.

Accessibility information
Statista
Please note that the University has access to the core Statista database. You will not have access to Statista Global Consumer Survey and Statista Company Database.

Statista is a comprehensive statistics platform giving access to over 1.5 million data sets (with more added daily) and revenue forecasts for over 400 industries. Data and statistics are aggregated from 22,500 sources on 85,000 different topics. Updates to data sets, depending on content type, occur monthly, quarterly, six monthly and yearly. Statista also includes many thousands of downloadable reports, studies and dossiers.

The University has access to the core Statista database. You will not have access to Statista Global Consumer Survey and Statista Company Database.

Accessibility information

CIA World Factbook
Compiled by the United States Central Intelligence Agency, a free source of summary social and economic data for all countries, updated annually. Provides a global ranking for each variable.
data.gov.uk
Designed for the general public, "to help people understand how government works and how policies are made". All publicly-released UK government data in one searchable website.

Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS)
Now incorporated into the UK Data Service (see above).

Eurostat
The European Commission's official portal to publicly-available social and economic data about EU member states. English, French or German-language interface available.

Gender Equality Data and Statistics
Free to access from the World Bank.

GenderStats is an electronic database of gender statistics and indicators. It offers statistical and other data in modules on several subjects. It is updated continuously and coverage includes themes that range from health and education to political participation and poverty.
Historical Data UK
The UK Historical Data repository has been developed jointly by the Bank of England, ESCoE and the Office for National Statistics.

The UK Historical Data repository has been developed jointly by the Bank of England, ESCoE and the Office for National Statistics. The site is both a repository of historical UK data and relevant statistical publications, as well as a hub that links to other data websites and sources. The focus is on macroeconomic and financial market data but the site includes a range of disaggregated economic data at a sector, industry and regional level. More granular, historical microdata on the UK economy and other social science data is provided by the UK Data Service repository.
ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)
Labour market statistics for over 100 indicators and 230 countries, areas and territories, dating back to 1952 in some cases.

Labour market statistics for over 100 indicators and 230 countries, areas and territories, dating back to 1952 in some cases. Updated annually. Customised data tables can be created online and downloaded in .csv format.
International Historical Statistics, 1750-2010
Demographic and economic data tables by country, in pdf and Excel format.

Includes 260 years of statistical data covering a wide range of key economic and social indicators. Data is available on the Americas and Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Data tables can be downloaded as PDFs and/or Excel files.

Accessibility information
National Statistics (Office for National Statistics)
The website of the UK Office for National Statistics. Site includes full texts of the latest press releases (plus a searchable archive); and a substantial collection of free-to-access online statistical publications.

The website of the UK Office for National Statistics. Site includes full texts of the latest press releases (plus a searchable archive); and a substantial collection of free-to-access online statistical publications, such as "The Official Yearbook of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", "Social Trends", "United Kingdom Economic Accounts", and others (usually most recent edition only). Also Census 2001, and the newly developed Neighbourhood Statistics service, providing access to "a vast range of social and economic aggregate data on a consistent small-area geography" (searchable by postcode).

Accessibility information
OECD iLibrary Statistics
Coverage includes national accounts, economic indicators, financial affairs, social expenditure, and further series relating to industry, agriculture, energy, employment, health, migration, development and aid, for all 34 OECD member countries and other major economies.
Login with your University of York username and password.

26 statistical databases from the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Coverage includes national accounts, economic indicators, financial affairs, social expenditure, and further series relating to industry, agriculture, energy, employment, health, migration, development and aid, for all 30 OECD member countries and other major economies.

Each data series has a searchable abstract indicating origin, start date, periodicity, content etc. Data tables can be constructed according to your own specifications for viewing online, then exported into a spreadsheet package for further processing.

For information about OECD Health Data, please see the separate entry.
Population Reference Bureau - Population and Health Data
Based in the USA, a private, nonprofit organization which informs people around the world about population, health and the environment for research or academic purposes. Data is free to access.

This database contains data on 136 population, health, and environment variables for more than 220 countries, 28 world regions and sub-regions, and the world as a whole. (Not all countries have data on all variables).
UNdata
A single point of access to a number of free statistical databases from the United Nations.

UNdata is maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). It provides a single point of access to a number of leading United Nations statistical databases offering a great starting point for tracing all forms of statistics and statistical indicators. It is replacing the United Nations Common Database.

Sources of data include WHO health data, refugee data from UNHCR, UNESCO data, and World Telecommunications Union statistics among many others. Topics covered encompass the full range of United Nations statistics from population trends, health, international trade and commodity data, human development, demographic and population trends.

Other key features of the site include useful country profiles and glossaries of key terms.

World Bank Data
The Data Catalog is a listing of freely available World Bank datasets, including databases, pre-formatted tables, reports and other resources.

Google Public Data Explorer

Use a Google interface to customise and visualize data from free-to-access sources.

Zanran: online statistics searching

Zanran helps you find semi-structured data which is free-to-access on the Web, e.g. graphs, tables and charts.