Finding Statistical Data

Introduction
The Internet may be the most effective place to search for statistical information, as it provides the most current statistics available and is updated more frequently than print resources. A great first place to start your statistical research project is the UIUC Government Documents Library Statistical Resources Guide (URL below). The Law Library also owns several current print statistical resources in its Reference collection.

I. Print Resources

CIA World Factbook
G 122 .U56a
Latest edition in Law Reference, Earlier editions in Law Compact Stacks
Also available online through the Online Research Resources - http://www.library.uiuc.edu/orr
Published annually by the Central Intelligence Agency, the World Factbook provides current data for more than 250 countries and territories.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
HA 202 .S8
Latest edition in Law Reference, Earlier editions in Law DOC.C3.134
Annual publication by the Department of Commerce that summarizes social, political, and economic statistics of the United States.

County and City Data Book: 2000
HA 202 .A36
Latest edition in Law Reference, Earlier editions in Law DOC. C3.134/2:C83/2/
Includes the results of the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, as well as hundreds of data items for states, counties, and cities. The County and City Data Book also includes state maps showing counties and large cities.

Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970
HA 202 .B87 1985 in Law Reference
Good for historical research and organized similarly to the Statistical Abstract, this resource summarizes social, political, and economic statistics of the United States from the 18th century to 1970.

Illinois Statistical Abstract
HC107.I3 I56
Latest edition in Law Reference, earlier editions in Law Compact Stacks
Available online at http://www.igpa.uiuc.edu/Abstract
Annual publication of economic and demographic data for Illinois and political subdivisions within the state.

Crime in Illinois
HV6793.I3 C74
Latest edition in Law Reference, Earlier editions in Law
Available online at http://www.isp.state.il.us/crime/ucrhome.cfm
Annual Illinois State Police publication, providing information on reported Illinois crimes, by city and county. University and park district police information is also included.

II. Online Resources

Guides:

UIUC Government Documents Library Statistical Resources Guide
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/doc/statistics.htm
An excellent first place to look for online statistical resources including: General statistics, Population and Demographics, Social Science Data, Economics and Business, Science, History, and Miscellaneous.

UIUC Education Library Statistical Resources for the Social Sciences
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/edx/webstats.htm
Also a great resource for statistical information focusing on education or other social sciences. This guide includes both general statistical resources as well as social science data collections.

University of Michigan Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/
Academic membership-based organization (UIUC is a member) that maintains an archive of social science statistical data. ICPSR provides to member institutions data files for use with statistical software, such as SAS, SPSS, Stata.

Polling the Nations
http://poll.orspub.com/
Over 14,000 opinion polls, conducted by U.S. and foreign organizations. Surveys and results can be exported to e-mail, downloaded, and printed from the website.

General United States Statistics:

Statistical Universe (UIUC username and password required)
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/orr/results.php?instid=258185
Comprehensive statistical information, mostly from Statistical Abstract. UIUC faculty/staff/students only.

U.S. Statistical Abstracts
http://www.census.gov/statab/www

FedStats (U.S. federal agency statistical gateway)
http://www.fedstats.gov

U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov
Data from the population census (taken every 10 years) and the economic census (taken every 5 years) in the United States.

American FactFinder
< a href="http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en"> http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
Searchable U.S. Census population, housing, economic, and geographic data, includes data sets from 1990 and 2000 Censuses)

Tip: Many U.S. agencies and other governmental bodies publish their statistics on their own or related official websites:

Illinois Statistics:

Illinois Statistical Abstracts
http://www.igpa.uiuc.edu

Crime in Illinois
http://www.isp.state.il.us/crime/ucrhome.cfm

International Statistics:

CIA World Factbook
http://www.ocdi.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html
Economic, social, geographical, political data for countries around the world, updated annually.

EIU Country Intelligence (UIUC username and password required)
http://db.eiu.com/index.asp?layout=publicationTypes
Quarterly analysis and forecasts of the political, economic and business environment for nearly 200 countries.

EIU Country Data/World Data (UIUC faculty/staff/students only)
http://tinyurl.com/n7jx7
Comprehensive global database of economic and market figures and forecasts on 150 countries and 45 regions.

EuroStat (European Statistical System)
http://tinyurl.com/9sxt4
Economic and social statistical information on the European, country, and regional level, including statistics related to population, industry, agriculture, transportation, and science.

U.S. Census Bureau International Statistics Agencies
http://www.census.gov/main/www/stat_int.html
A comprehensive listing of individual nations’ official statistical agencies, listed by country.

United Nations InfoNation
http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/infonation3/menu/advanced.asp
Allows users to group countries by geographical, intergovernmental, or socio-economic groupings, and view and compare social and economic data from specific countries.

United Nations Population Information Network (POPIN)
http://www.un.org/popin/
A guide to population statistics on UN functional and regional commissions, programs, specialized agencies, and world regions. A listing of population data sources can be found in POPIN as well.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, World Health Statistics
http://www.globalhealth.gov/worldhealthstatistics.shtml
A great resources providing links to resources related to world health statistics, including the World Health Organization and UNICEF, and various U.S. agencies.

U.S. Department of State Background Notes
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn
National statistics about land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations, organized by country.

World Bank Development Data and Statistics
http://tinyurl.com/gmeoc
Profiles and statistics from the World Development Indicators (WDI) database, including educational, gender, and health databases, as well as Development Gateway data and statistics and country statistical information.