| Introduction | Understanding Statistics | Finding Statistics |
| General Data Sources | Data Sources by Subject |
A pathfinder is a tool for finding the way. It is not meant to be a comprehensive, all-inclusive bibliography, but instead a starting point for students with little idea where to begin research. This pathfinder will present some fundamental resources to begin the statistical study of Latin America (here used to refer to all lands south of the United States), as well as some general resources on how to find and understand statistical data in general. Upon consulting these works you will have a much better grasp of the scope and nature of statistical information available, and will have a good idea about where to proceed next.
All resources described in this pathfinder are available through the Academic Libraries of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both print and online resources are included in this pathfinder. Although electronic sources can be more convenient and easily manipulated than print sources, be aware that much information on Latin America is only available in print. Finally, if the Latin American and Iberian Resources and/or Davis Library Reference department can help you any way with your research, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
If you have never worked with statistical data before, here are some general resources that will help you interpret and use the data that you find.
| Encyclopedias | Dictionaries | Textbooks |
| Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences. This 10-volume work is the most authoritative reference on statistical concepts, methods, and applications available. It is meant to be used by both experts and non-experts, although many of the most basic concepts are given rather cursory treatment. Entries generally include the history of the concept, the equations used to calculate it, an explanation of its interpretation, often including examples and graphs, as well as a bibliography. |
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International Encyclopedia of Statistics.
William H. Kruskal and Judith M. Tanur, eds. New York : Free Press, c1978.
Davis Library Reference HA17 .I63
This 2-volume work is still a standard reference in the field, despite its age. The language might be a little hard to follow for the complete beginner, even though its stated audience includes not only students, teachers, statisticians, and research scientists, but also "journalists, librarians, philosophers, and poets."
| The Oxford Dictionary of Statistical Terms. 6th
ed. This volume updates the classic reference from the International Statistical Institute (the 5th edition is held in Davis Reference HA17 .K4 1990). It provides concise explanations, including the associated equations, for over 3,500 terms. Meant more for practitioners and serious students of statistics or economics, the language assumes a certain amount of facility with advanced mathematics on the part of the reader. The 2nd edition (Davis Stacks HA17 .K4 1960) includes glossaries to find the Spanish translation of English terms and vice versa. (It also includes French, German and Italian glossaries.) |
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Dictionary of Statistics & Methodology: A Nontechnical Guide for
the Social Sciences. 3rd ed.
W. Paul Vogt. Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications, c2005.
Davis Library HA17 .V64 2005
Aimed at consumers of research, or students who may one day conduct research of their own, this work is written in less technical language. Elementary concepts are given full treatment, as well as more advanced terms. Less emphasis is placed on how to calculate certain values, and more is placed on how to interpret figures given. Warnings about common errors are also given. Concepts are often illustrated, such as two scatter-plots showing a weak or strong correlation between two variables.
English-French-Spanish-Russian Systematic Glossary of the Terminology
of Statistical Methods.
Isaac Paenson. Oxford and New York: Pergamon Press, 1970.
Davis Library HA17 .P34 1970
As well as providing alphabetical indexes in each language, this work gives
the full explanation of each concept in each of the languages. That is, each
entry is divided into four columns, so that the full explanation in English
can be compared directly to the full explanation in Spanish two columns over.
| ISI Multilingual Glossary of Statistical Terms This glossary from the International Statistical Institute contains over 3,500 statistical terms in 26 languages including Spanish and Portuguese. It allows you to look up a word in any language and see the corresponding term in all of the other languages. No definitions are given, however, only translations. To find the meaning of the term, you would need to consult one of the print dictionaries listed above. |
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| First Steps in Statistics. This text begins with quite simple examples to introduce complete novices to statistical concepts, then gets into pretty advanced language later on. For example, the task of calculating the average height of a group of school children is used to introduce the full mathematical representation of summation, complete with greek symbols. |
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Computational Handbook of Statistics. 4th ed.
James L. Bruning and B.L. Kintz. New York : Longman, c1997.
Davis Library HA29 .B835 1997
Meant to address statistics from an applied, not a theoretical point of view,
this text concentrates on verbal explanations rather than advanced mathematical
formulas (although these are included as well). The format is a series of practical
examples, worked out step by step. The stated audience includes undergraduate
students beginning statistical studies as well as graduate assistants needing
to get up to speed to work on a project.
| Figuring Figures: An Introduction to Data Analysis. Written for the intelligent layperson, this text explains statistical concepts with an emphasis on the interpretation of data, while equations and calculation methods are covered in appendices. With chapter titles like "How to see if two tables are linked" rather than the technical term "Rank correlation," the language is quite accessible and practical. |
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There are many resources that will help you to identify and locate data on various subjects and countries. Here are a few of the most important ones.
| Bibliographies | Directories | Indexes | Web Portals | Browsing Areas |
Bibliography of Official Statistical Yearbooks and Bulletins.
Gloria Westfall. Alexandria, VA : Chadwyck-Healey, 1986.
Davis Library Reference Z7551 .W47 1986
This bibliography lists the title, publication information, years covered,
as well as any change in title or originating agency through the years, of all
regularly issued official statistical documents. It also states what sort of
data the yearbook provides in each of five subject areas: 1. the physical environment,
2. demography, 3. economic affairs, 4. political affairs, and 5. social and
cultural affairs. The bibliography is organized by world region, then alphabetically
by country.
| Global Data Locator. According to the introduction, “Global Data Locator is a user’s guide and road map to global statistical information sources. It provides annotated and descriptive reviews as well as tables of contents for 240 statistical publications published by both official and commercial organizations.” The first sections cover general sources, then sources are listed for individual subject areas, such as accidents or agriculture. Very few of the sources are specific to Latin America, but many of the global resources will contain some Latin American data. Both print and electronic sources are covered. The tables of contents are often quite detailed, even listing individual charts. |
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Statistics - America : Sources for Social, Economic and Market Research
(North, Central & South America). 2d ed.
Joan M. Harvey. Beckenham, England : CBD Research ; Detroit : Gale Research
Co., 1980.
Davis Library Reference Z7554.A5 H37 1980
Organized by country, this resource gives the name, contact information, and some basic information about the official statistical bureau of each country. It then lists the main libraries in the country and abroad that house their publications, as well as listing any bibliographies or buying lists for statistical data that exist for the country. It then gives the title, address, years, and topics covered (main sections) for all statistical publications produced by various agencies, beginning with the general, then by subject area.
| Directory of Official Statistical Agencies & Societies Using the "select a country" menu, you can find the name, director, address, telephone, fax, email address and website of the official statistical bureau, as well as any national statistical society that may exist. Similar contact information is given for various statistical divisions of the United Nations, as well as Other Organizations such as the International Monetary Fund or the World Health Organization. |
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Statistical Agencies (International)
from the U.S. Census Bureau
This site provides direct links to the websites of the principal statistical agency for every country in the world which has one. However, there may be other government agencies producing statistics in these countries as well. To find links to these other agencies, use ECLAC's "Links to Social Indicators Produced by Latin American and Caribbean Countries," under General Data Sources - Latin America (below).
LexisNexis Statistical (UNC only)
LexisNexis Statistical provides indexing and abstracts from three databases:
American Statistics Index (ASI), Statistical Reference Index (SRI), and Index
to International Statistics (IIS). The Index to International Statistics (1983-present)
covers approximately 2000 English language statistical publications of 100 major
international intergovernmental organizations. The print version of The Index
to International Statistics and the accompanying microfiche collection with
the full text of the documents indexed in IIS beginning in 1983 can be found
in the Davis Library Reference Department. Many indexed items are also held
in print form in Davis Library.
| Statistics Sources. This yearly publication contains a selected bibliography of key statistical sources, both print and online, some of which are international. The main part of this 3,000-page work, however, is a “Dictionary of Statistics Sources,” with all topics, including countries, given in one alphabetical listing. So for example, the heading for “Brazil – zoos and botanical gardens” is followed directly by “Bread,” “Breastfeeding,” then “British Honduras (see Belize).” Appendices give full citaions for all sources cited, both published and unpublished. Earlier volumes are held in Davis stacks. |
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Instat: International Statistics Sources: Subject Guide to Sources of
International Comparative Statistics.
Michael C. Fleming and Joseph G. Nellis. London : Routledge, 1995.
Davis Library Reference Desk Z7551 .I428 1995
This 2-volume work lists data sources from over 400 publications in 46 subject areas, including such topics as health, Education, Drugs, and Tourism. While there is no way to search only for Latin American data, if you know you are interested in a particular variable, such as corn prices, you can find which charts in which publications contain that data and what countries are covered. This resource even indicates how the data is broken down (by country, by year, etc.), what units of measurement are used, and whether time series are available.
Stats DataFinder is a unique tool that allows you to locate statistics and
data sets available through the UNC-Chapel Hill University Library as well as
via the Internet. These items were selected by subject specialists in the Reference
Department of Davis Library. Accessed from the library's homepage, the site
can be searched, or browsed by the following topics: Crime, Economics, Education,
Energy, Environment, Government, Health, Housing, Military, Politics and Elections,
Population/Demographics, Public Opinion, and Social Statistics. Many of these
categories have a sub-section on international sources, as well as on general
"metasites" which often include international data as well.
The Latin American Network Information Center, based at the University of Texas at Austin, has as its mission to facilitate access to Internet-based information to, from, or on Latin America. LANIC's various web directories constitute a major gateway to Latin American information for researchers, students, and others both within the region and beyond. The Statistics section provides links to 86 international, regional, and country-specific resources that provide statistics on Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Library of Congress classifies Latin American statistical resources in
one main area: the HAs. However, many other useful materials are located in
other places based upon the predominant subject content, so don't rely solely
on this area, but instead think broadly. For example, there are books about
medicine or economics that have substantial statistical information relevant
to Latin America but they are located in the areas for their respective disciplines
instead of the general area for Latin American statistics. Think interdisciplinary
and look around in order to achieve the most effective results in your research.
General American Statistical Data: HA175
Latin American Statistical Data: HA751 - HA756
Mexican Statistical Data: HA761 - HA768
Central American Statistical Data: HA781 - HA855
Caribbean Area Statistical Data: HA855.5 - HA928
South American Statistical Data: HA931 - HA1098
Here are some of the most important general print and electronic resources which provide data on a variety of subjects and countries.
Statistical Abstract of the World
New York : Gale Research, Inc., c1994-
Davis Library Reference Desk HA154 .S83
| This yearly publication contains statistical indicators,
arranged alphabetically by country, for over 185 nations. Topics covered
include geography, demographics, health, education, science and technology,
government and law, labor force, production sectors, manufacturing sector,
finance, economics, and trade. |
Statistical Yearbook (United Nations)
Lake Success, N.Y. : Statistical Office of the United Nations, 1949-
Davis Library Reference HA12.5 .U63 & CD-ROM
| Population, social, and economic statistics collected by
the Statistics Division of the UN and other international and national sources.
Data is arranged alphabetically by country. Some tables are subdivided by
region with an alphabetical country listing within each region. |
Monthly Bulletin of Statistics (United Nations Statistical Office)
Lake Success, N.Y. : Statistical Office of the United Nations, 1947-
Davis Library Reference Desk HC57 .U66
| Current economic and social statistic updates to supplement
the Statistical Yearbook for most countries and world areas. Also includes
quarterly world and regional aggregates. |
| The World Bank's annual World Development Report (WDR) is
an invaluable guide to the economic, social and environmental state of the
world today. Each year the WDR provides in depth analysis of a specific
aspect of development. Past reports have considered such topics as the role
of the state, transition economies, labor, infrastructure, health, the environment,
and poverty. The print version is also held in Davis Reference, with the
most recent volume kept at the Davis Library Reference Desk (HC59.7 .W659).
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World Development Indicators Online (UNC only)
| WDI Online is a major source for data on the global economy
and other matters, offering statistics on over 550 development indicators
from over 200 countries and 18 country groups. The data cover national economies,
population, natural resources, financial matters, environmental variables,
and much more, from 1960 to date. You can also export the data in formats
such as Excel, and while in the database, perform such functions as view
by percentage change and even chart the figures. |
International Statistical Yearbook (UNC only)
| International Statistical Yearbook contains a wealth of economic, social, and demographic data from most countries in the world, though the United States and Europe are best represented. Over 1,800,000 time series are available, some from as far back as 1960. Data include statistics on industry, national accounts, communications, transport, and demographics. Sources include the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, and national statistical offices. This resource is also available in Davis Reference as a CD-ROM, which is actually easier to use than the online version. You can choose countries, indicators, and years and it will produce a custom spreadsheet. |
United Nations Common Database (Davis Library only)
| The UN Common Database gathers in one place over 300 statistical series of country and area data collected by the United Nations Statistics Division. Drawing on 30 international data sources, it covers trade, national accounts, population, energy, production, and status of women, among other subjects. You can select a single series for up to 10 countries over 20 years, or profile a specific country by twelve different subjects, and download the data into Excel or ASCII formats. Ask for help logging in at the Davis Reference Desk. |
International Historical Statistics: the Americas, 1750-2000. 5th ed.
B.R. Mitchell. Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
Davis Library Reference HA175 .M55 2003
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Statistical Abstract of Latin America. |
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|
Statistical Yearbook for Latin America and the Caribbean = Anuario
estadístico de América Latina y el Caribe |
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Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean - Statistical Information
| ECLAC -the Spanish acronym is CEPAL- is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations. It was founded for the purposes of contributing to the development of Latin America. The website provides access to downloadable PDFs of various ECLAC publications, including the Statistical Yearbook for Latin America and the Caribbean. The CEPALSTAT interface allows you to select specific indicators under various subjects, choose countries, years, and other parameters to compare, and it will create custom charts and graphs in either HTML or Excel format. The databases available on the site include Base de Estadísticas e Indicadores Sociales (BADEINSO), Base de Datos de Comercio Exterior (BADECEL), Sistema de Información Agropecuario (SIAGRO), and Balance de Pagos (BADEPAG). |
USAID: Development Statistics for Latin America and the Caribbean
| This website from the United States Agency for International Development provides manipulable data sets on various topics such as economics, health, education, democracy, and poverty. Sources of data include the World Bank's World Development Indicators, as well as various IMF, UNESCO, and US Government publications. Also included is a PDF version of the latest LAC Databook, "Latin America and the Caribbean: Selected Economic and Social Data 2006." |
Remember to also consult the global and regional sources listed in the General Data Sources section above for data in the following categories.
| Economics | Politics & Elections | Population/Demographics |
| Health | Education | Public Opinion | Social Indicators |
International Financial Statistics Yearbook.
Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 1979-.
Davis Library Reference International Documents
| Published by the International Monetary Fund, this publication
includes financial and economic data arranged by world tables and country
tables. There is also a monthly update issued betwen annual editions. An
electronic version is also available at the Davis Reference desk as part
of the International Statistical Yearbook CD-ROM (choose "IMF- International
Financial Statistics" from the databases menu). You can choose countries,
indicators, and years and it will produce a spreadsheet. It is also available
online and in Datastream International (see below), but the CD-Rom is probably
the easiest to use. |
Datastream International
Davis Library Reference CD-ROM
| This electronic source provides international economic and
financial data in time series format. Series are acquired from national
governments and banks, the Federal Reserve, the IMF, the OECD, the Economist
Intelligence Unit (EIU) and other international agencies. Additional features
include commodity prices, debt and equity information, exchange rates, interest
rates, stock market indices, futures, options, and much more. Time coverage
varies, but many series are available in daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly,
or annual intervals for up to 10 years or longer. |
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Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean |
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Oxford Latin American Economic History Database (OxLAD)
| The Oxford Latin American Economic History Database contains statistical series for a wide range of economic and social indicators covering twenty countries in the region for the period 1900-2000. Its purpose is to provide economic and social historians worldwide with a systematic recompilation of available statistical information in as comprehensive, consistent, and comparable a manner as possible. Data series include indicators as specific as cement production, fuel imports, and coffee price indices. |
| Among the many data sets linked from this page is the World Governance Research Indicators database, a compilation of data for 213 countries for 1996–2005 on the following governance factors: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law, and Control of Corruption. |
| The Lijphart Elections Archive, housed at the University of California, San Diego campus, is a research collection of district level election results for approximately 350 national legislative elections in 26 countries, including Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. Both actual data and bibliographies of publications containing data are included. The site also provides useful Election Links, leading to more data sets or to other guides to political data. |
Political Database of the Americas
| A non-governmental Internet-based project from Georgetown University that provides political reference materials, primary documents, comparative studies and statistical data for all countries in the Western Hemisphere. It contains an extensive collection of presidential, legislative, and sometimes local election results (under Electoral Systems and Data), as well as data on political participation (under Indigenous Peoples and Democracy). |
Latin American Election Statistics: A Guide to Sources
| This site from the University of California, San Diego is a valuable resource for finding sources of Latin American election statistics. Despite the fact that only nine countries are currently represented and although the statistics are not reproduced here, the bibliography for locating them is indeed comprehensive. Indexed by year, coverage begins at independence and continues to the end of the twentieth century. A glossary of Spanish electoral terms is also part of the site. |
A Guide to Latin American and Caribbean Census Material: A Bibliography
and Union List.
Carole Travis, ed. Boston, MA : G.K. Hall, 1990.
Davis Library Reference Z7553.C3 G85 1990
| Organized by country, this resource lists chronologically
the titles of all censuses, be they general or subject-specific (such as
Censo de Vivienda, Censo Agropecuario, etc.), ever taken in the given country.
It then gives full citations for all publications that report these findings,
based on the combined holdings of the 30 British libraries which compiled
the list. |
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Demographic Yearbook = Annuaire démographique. |
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International Data Base (US Census Bureau)
| The International Data Base (IDB) is a computerized source of demographic and socioeconomic statistics for 228 countries and areas of the world. The IDB combines data from country sources (especially censuses and surveys) with IPC's estimates and projections to provide information dating back as far as 1950 and as far ahead as 2050. Data include population by age and sex, vital rates, infant mortality, and life tables, fertility and child survivorship, migration, marital status, family planning, ethnicity, religion, language, literacy, labor force, employment, and income. |
Population Database (United Nations Population Division)
| Based on United Nations data sources and publications, this database allows you to calculate and display world, regional, and country population statistics beginning in 1950 and projected up to 2050. Available data variables include population density, urban and rural percentages, as well as such detailed variables as age, sex, birth and death rates, net migration, and dependency ratios. |
World Health Organization Statistical Information System (WHOSIS)
| Guide to health and health-related epidemiological and statistical information available from the World Health Organization. Data sets include Core Health Indicators, Disease Statistics, Health System Statistics, and Iniquities in Health. WHO statistical publications can also be searched using the WHO Library database, WHOLIS. |
Health Data from the Pan American Health Organization.
| The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) provides epidemiological, statistical, and analytical information on the health situation of the countries of the Region of the Americas. The Web site includes an online table generator (multidimensional query tool) that offers a collection of 108 indicators for 48 states and territories of the Americas. Also included are country health profiles, a GIS atlas of basic health indicators, and a glossary of relevant terms. A PDF version of the PAHO publication "Health Situation in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2006" is also available. |
Education Statistics from the Unesco Institute for Statistics
| UIS statistical tables and graphs presenting global data on education and literacy may be found here. You can also build your own custom tables to download in Excel or CSV format by using the Database Access link. You can also access various UNESCO statistical publications on education, such as Education for All and World Education Indicators. |
| "EdStats - the World Bank’s comprehensive Database of education statistics: Makes a variety of national and international data sources (such as UIS and OECD) available in one location; Compiles World Bank data on pertinent education topics; Adopts an analysis-friendly format that enables flexible access and custom-tailored reports; Provides links to a large number of education websites worldwide." |
Global Education Database Online (USAID)
| The GED includes data from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics and USAID's Demographic & Health Surveys. UNESCO data (1970 to present, about 200 countries) includes three levels of education, educational outcomes (e.g. literacy), life expectancy and population data. USAID data (1984 to present, 60 developing countries) includes attendance, gender equity, and educational attainment. Data can be combined to create a country profile, or a single variable can be compared across various countries. Data can be downloaded as html, Excel spreadsheet or Word table. |
Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)
[Nashville, TN] : The Project, Vanderbilt University, [2006].
Davis Library Reference CD-ROM
| LAPOP, based at Vanderbilt University, has produced over 60 surveys analyzing major topics of great interest to political and social scientists, Latin Americanists, government officials, and interested citizens. LAPOP surveys analyzing citizen views on system support, political tolerance, citizen participation, local government, corruption, and authoritarianism have been conducted and archived on this CD-ROM for: Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru. |
Latin American Databank at the Roper Center
| The Latin American Databank at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research provides access to public opinion surveys conducted by the survey research community in Latin America, including universities, institutes, individual scholars, private polling and public opinion research firms. The LAD collection holds nearly one thousand studies from 16 countries, with the largest contributions coming from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. The site includes a search function that can be limited to Latin America as a whole or to individual countries. |
Polling the Nations (UNC only)
| A compilation of more than 14,000 surveys conducted by more than 700 polling organizations in the United States and more than 80 other countries from 1986 to the present. Each of the nearly 350,000 records reports a question asked and the responses given. Also included in each record is the polling organization responsible for the work, the date the information was released, the sample size, and the total population. |
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Economic and Social Progress in Latin America: Annual Report. |
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Links to Social Indicators Produced by Latin American and
Caribbean Countries
from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
| This handy site gives direct links to the data sites of the many government bodies producing data of various kinds in each of the countries of Latin America, disaggregated by type of data. So, for example, clicking the Employment link under the Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Seguridad Social in Argentina takes you right to the page of that agency’s website where you can view PDFs or Excel spreadsheets of their statistical publication "Informe: Dinámica del empleo y rotación de empresas." (Click on "English Version," then "Links.") |
Social Indicators from the United Nations Statistics Division
| Selected social indicators compiled by the Statistics Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat on child-bearing, contraceptive use, education, health, housing, human settlements, illiteracy, income and economic activity, population, unemployment, water supply and sanitation, and youth and elderly populations. |
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This page was last updated Tuesday, August 14, 2007.