Primary Sources (A How-to Guide): Data & Stats

The census bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.

Millennial edition, fully updated and revised from previous 1976 edition. Extensive and easy to use. Excellent source for immigration and population data.
Dates Covered: 1790-2000.

From the International Monetary Fund; approximately 32,000 time series covering more than 200 countries and areas.
Dates Covered: 1948-present.

World economic data and publications from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Includes access to full text of NBER Bulletins and selected books from 1921 to current, and economic data.
Dates Covered: 1998-present.

Effective March 31, 2024, this resource is no longer available, data has been migrated to OECD Data Explorer.

Provides access to a variety of statistical databases from the United Nations. Covering a wide range of topics including Agriculture, Education, Employment, Energy, Environment, Health, HIV/AIDS, Human Development, Industry, Information and Communication Technology, National Accounts, Population, Refugees, Tourism, Trade, as well as the Millennium Development Goals indicators.
Access note: Freely available to the public.
Extent: Multidisciplinary

Published by the World Bank, WDI provides access to more than 600 development indicators, with time series for 208 countries and 18 country groups from 1960 to 2005, where data are available.
Dates Covered: 1960-
Access note: Freely available to the public.