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Update of the CNTS Data Archive

The new edition (July 2012) of the CNTS Data Archive from Databanks International contains 196 years of global data, from 1815 through 2011. A new option this year is the Domestic Conflict Event Variable LINKS, which provides links to news reports of each event, starting with the 2011 data. Additionally, the World Bank country codes and country names have been matched to the data.

Global Health Observatory (GHO)

The Global Health Observatory database is the World Health Organization's main health statistics repository. It provides data and analyses for key health themes, as well as direct access to the full database. The WHO Statistical Information System (WHOSIS) has been upgraded and incorporated into the latest version (February 2011) of the GHO, to provide more data, more tools, more analysis and more reports.

World Bank Frees up Data

In April 2010 the World Bank Group opened up the World Development Indicators database (and several other databases) and offered free access to more than 2,000 financial, business, health, economic and human development statistics that had mostly been available only to paying subscribers. The decision was part of a larger effort to increase access to information at the World Bank. And, for the first time, data was made available in languages other than English, with an initial 330 indicators translated into French, Spanish and Arabic.

European Social Survey: Contextual data

This 2008 report formed the origins of this website. It examines the availability and comparability of extant sources of contextual statistics of particular interest to users of ESS data. This website seeks to broaden the scope and be a valuable resource for social science data users worldwide (PDF).

 

 

Political Constraint Index Dataset

Research project

The Political Constraint Index Dataset (POLCON) was produced by Witold J. Henisz, and is an endeavour to measure political constraint, that is, to identify underlying political structures and measure their ability to support credible policy commitments.

Dataset

Political Constraint Index Dataset (POLCON)

POLCON

Data types and sources

Expert coding by the author, based on sources from datasets such as Polity IV, the Cross-National Time-Series Data Archive and others.

Data download

POLCON

Topics

The dataset contains 90 variables (including country identifiers) that measure various features of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. The central variables are indices that seek to estimate the degree of political constraints.

Geographical coverage

The dataset covers 226 present and historical countries.

Time coverage and updates

First data for some of the variables are from 1800. Last data is up to 2007. The dataset was last updated in 2010.

Documentation

A codebook (Henisz 2006) providing detailed descriptions of how the variables were coded and which sources were used is available online.

Access conditions and cost

Available free of charge. Registration required.

Access procedures

Predefined table.

Data formats

Excel and Microsoft Access.

Comparability and data quality

Not examined.

Literature

Henisz, Witold J. 2000. “The institutional environment for economic growth”. Economics and Politics 12 (1): 1-31.

Henisz, Witold J. 2002. “The institutional environment for infrastructure investment”. Industrial and Corporate Change 11 (2): 355-389.

Henisz, Witold J. 2006. Polcon_2005 Codebook.
http://www-management.wharton.upenn.edu/henisz/ (11 April 2007).

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