Developmentrelevance:
Patterns of development in a country are partly determined by the age composition of its population. Different age groups have different impacts on both the environment and on infrastructure needs.  Therefore the age structure of a population is useful for analyzing resource use and formulating future policy and planning goals  with regards infrastructure and development.

This indicator is used for calculating age dependency ratio (percent of working-age population). The age dependency ratio is the ratio of the sum of the population aged 0-14 and the population aged 65 and above to the population aged 15-64. In many developing countries, the once rapidly growing population group of the under-15 population is shrinking. As a result, high fertility rates, together with declining mortality rates, are now reflected in the larger share of the 65 and older population.

IndicatorName: Population ages 0-14 (% of total population)

Longdefinition: Population between the ages 0 to 14 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Age structure in the World Bank's population estimates is based on the age structure in United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects. For more information, see the original source.

Total population is based on the de facto population including all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates. For more information see metadata for total population (SP.POP.TOTL).


Periodicity: Annual

Source: United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.

Topic: Health: Population: Structure

Aggregationmethod: Weighted average

License_Type: CC BY-4.0

name: Population ages 0-14 (% of total population)

value: World Development Indicators

sourceNote: Population between the ages 0 to 14 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population.

sourceOrganization: United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.

value: Education

value: Health


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 5 to 9 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 05-09, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 5 to 9 as a percentage of the total female population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 05-09, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 5 to 9 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 05-09, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 5 to 9 as a percentage of the total male population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 10-14, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 10 to 14 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 10-14, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 10 to 14 as a percentage of the total female population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 10-14, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 10 to 14 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 10-14, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 10 to 14 as a percentage of the total male population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 15-19, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 15 to 19 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 15-19, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 15 to 19 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 15-19, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 15 to 19 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 15-19, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 15 to 19 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


Population ages 15-64, female

IndicatorName: Population ages 15-64, female

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

Source: World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.

Aggregationmethod: Sum

Generalcomments: Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

sourceOrganization: World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.


sourceNote: Female population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 15-64, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Population ages 15-64, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


Population ages 15-64, male

IndicatorName: Population ages 15-64, male

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Male population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 15-64, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total male population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Population ages 15-64, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total male population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


Population ages 15-64, total

IndicatorName: Population ages 15-64, total

Longdefinition: Total population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Total population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 15-64 (% of total population)

Longdefinition: Total population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Population ages 15-64 (% of total population)

sourceNote: Total population between the ages 15 to 64 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 20-24, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 20-24, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 20-24, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 20-24, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 25-29, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 25-29, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 25-29, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 25-29, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 25 to 29 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 30-34, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 30 to 34 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 30-34, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 30 to 34 as a percentage of the total female population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 30-34, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 30 to 34 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 30-34, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 30 to 34 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 35-39, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 35 to 39 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 35-39, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 35 to 39 as a percentage of the total female population.

name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 35-39, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 35 to 39 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 35-39, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 35 to 39 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 40-44, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 40 to 44 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 40-44, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 40 to 44 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 40-44, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 40 to 44 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 40-44, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 40 to 44 as a percentage of the total male population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 45-49, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 45 to 49 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 45-49, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 45 to 49 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 45-49, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 45 to 49 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 45-49, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 45 to 49 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 50-54, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 50 to 54 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 50-54, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 50 to 54 as a percentage of the total female population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 50-54, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 50 to 54 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 50-54, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 50 to 54 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 55-59, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 55 to 59 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 55-59, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 55 to 59 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 55-59, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 55 to 59 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 55-59, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 55 to 59 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 60-64, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 60 to 64 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 60-64, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 60 to 64 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 60-64, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 60 to 64 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 60-64, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 60 to 64 as a percentage of the total male population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 65-69, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 65 to 69 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 65-69, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 65 to 69 as a percentage of the total female population.


IndicatorName: Population ages 65-69, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 65 to 69 as a percentage of the total male population.

name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


name: Population ages 65-69, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 65 to 69 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


Population ages 65 and above, female

IndicatorName: Population ages 65 and above, female

Longdefinition: Female population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Female population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 65 and above, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Population ages 65 and above, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total female population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


Population ages 65 and above, male

IndicatorName: Population ages 65 and above, male

Longdefinition: Male population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Male population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 65 and above, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total male population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Population ages 65 and above, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population 65 years of age or older as a percentage of the total male population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


Population ages 65 and above, total

IndicatorName: Population ages 65 and above, total

Longdefinition: Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Total population 65 years of age or older. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 65 and above (% of total population)

Longdefinition: Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology: Age structure in the World Bank's population estimates is based on the age structure in United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects. For more information, see the original source. Total population is based on the de facto population including all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates. For more information see metadata for total population (SP.POP.TOTL).


name: Population ages 65 and above (% of total population)

sourceNote: Population ages 65 and above as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


IndicatorName: Population ages 70-74, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 70-74, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 70-74, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 70-74, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 70 to 74 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population ages 75-79, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 75 to 79 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 75-79, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 75 to 79 as a percentage of the total female population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 75-79, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 75 to 79 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 75-79, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 75 to 79 as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 80 and above, female (% of female population)

Longdefinition: Female population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Population ages 80 and above, female (% of female population)

sourceNote: Female population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total female population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Population ages 80 and above, male (% of male population)

Longdefinition: Male population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Population ages 80 and above, male (% of male population)

sourceNote: Male population between the ages 80 and above as a percentage of the total male population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births)

Longdefinition: Sex ratio at birth refers to male births per female births.


name: Sex ratio at birth (male births per female births)

sourceNote: Sex ratio at birth refers to male births per female births.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


Developmentrelevance: Patterns of development in a country are partly determined by the age composition of its population. Different age groups have different impacts on both the environment and on infrastructure needs.  Therefore the age structure of a population is useful for analyzing resource use and formulating future policy and planning goals  with regards infrastructure and development.

IndicatorName: Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population)

Longdefinition: Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Dependency ratios capture variations in the proportions of children, elderly people, and working-age people in the population that imply the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. But dependency ratios show only the age composition of a population, not economic dependency. Some children and elderly people are part of the labor force, and many working-age people are not.

Age structure in the World Bank's population estimates is based on the age structure in United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects. For more information, see the original source.

Topic: Health: Population: Dynamics

Generalcomments: Relevance to gender indicator: this indicator implies the dependency burden that the working-age population bears in relation to children and the elderly. Many times single or widowed women who are the sole caregiver of a household have a high dependency ratio.

sourceOrganization: World Bank staff estimates based on age distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.


name: Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population)

sourceNote: Age dependency ratio is the ratio of dependents--people younger than 15 or older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population)

Longdefinition: Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.


name: Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population)

sourceNote: Age dependency ratio, old, is the ratio of older dependents--people older than 64--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population)

Longdefinition: Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.


name: Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population)

sourceNote: Age dependency ratio, young, is the ratio of younger dependents--people younger than 15--to the working-age population--those ages 15-64. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working-age population.


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


Population growth (annual %)

IndicatorName: Population growth (annual %)

Longdefinition: Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

Source: Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years).

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Total population growth rates are calculated on the assumption that rate of growth is constant between two points in time. The growth rate is computed using the exponential growth formula:

r = ln(pn/p0)/n,

where r is the exponential rate of growth, ln() is the natural logarithm, pn is the end period population, p0 is the beginning period population, and n is the number of years in between. Note that this is not the geometric growth rate used to compute compound growth over discrete periods.

For information on total population from which the growth rates are calculated, see total population (SP.POP.TOTL).

Shortdefinition: Annual population growth rate. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

sourceOrganization: Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years).

value: Climate Change


sourceNote: Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


Researchers in R&D (per million people)

IndicatorName: Researchers in R&D (per million people)

Limitationsandexceptions: Estimates of the resources allocated to R&D are affected by national characteristics such as the periodicity and coverage of national R&D surveys across institutional sectors and industries; and the use of different sampling and estimation methods. R&D typically involves a few large performers, hence R&D surveys use various techniques to maintain up-to-date registers of known performers, while attempting to identify new or occasional performers.

Longdefinition: The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Researchers are professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems, as well as in the management of these projects. Students studying at the master’s or doctoral level (ISCED2011 level 7 or 8) engaged in R&D are included.

The OECD's Frascati Manual defines research and experimental development as "creative work undertaken on a systemic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications." R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

(1) Basic research - Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.

(2) Applied research - Applied research is also original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge; it is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.

(3) Experimental development - Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

The fields of science and technology used to classify R&D according to the Revised Fields of Science and Technology Classification are:
1. Natural sciences;
2. Engineering and technology;
3. Medical and health sciences;
4. Agricultural sciences;
5. Social sciences;
6. Humanities and the arts.

Data are for full-time equivalent (FTE); the FTE of R&D personnel is defined as the ratio of working hours actually spent on R&D during a specific reference period (usually a calendar year) divided by the total number of hours conventionally worked in the same period by an individual or by a group.

The data are obtained through statistical surveys which are regularly conducted at national level covering R&D performing entities in the private and public sectors.

Topic: Infrastructure: Technology

value: Science & Technology


sourceNote: The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

sourceOrganization: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.


Technicians in R&D (per million people)

IndicatorName: Technicians in R&D (per million people)

Longdefinition: The number of technicians participated in Research & Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Technicians and equivalent staff are people who perform scientific and technical tasks involving the application of concepts and operational methods, normally under the supervision of researchers. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/). Data as of March 2021.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Technicians in research and development (R&D) are persons whose main tasks require technical knowledge and experience in one or more fields of engineering, physical and life sciences, or social sciences and humanities.

The OECD's Frascati Manual defines research and experimental development as "creative work undertaken on a systemic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications." R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

(1) Basic research - Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view.

(2) Applied research - Applied research is also original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge; it is, however, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or objective.

(3) Experimental development - Experimental development is systematic work, drawing on existing knowledge gained from research and/or practical experience, which is directed to producing new materials, products or devices, to installing new processes, systems and services, or to improving substantially those already produced or installed.

The fields of science and technology used to classify R&D according to the Revised Fields of Science and Technology Classification are:
1. Natural sciences;
2. Engineering and technology;
3. Medical and health sciences;
4. Agricultural sciences;
5. Social sciences;
6. Humanities and the arts.

Data are for full-time equivalent (FTE); the FTE of R&D personnel is defined as the ratio of working hours actually spent on R&D during a specific reference period (usually a calendar year) divided by the total number of hours conventionally worked in the same period by an individual or by a group.

The data are obtained through statistical surveys which are regularly conducted at national level covering R&D performing entities in the private and public sectors.


sourceNote: The number of technicians participated in Research & Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Technicians and equivalent staff are people who perform scientific and technical tasks involving the application of concepts and operational methods, normally under the supervision of researchers. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

sourceOrganization: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/). Data as of March 2021.


Population, total

Developmentrelevance: Increases in human population, whether as a result of immigration or more births than deaths, can impact natural resources and social infrastructure.  This can place pressure on a country's sustainability.  A significant growth in population will negatively impact the availability of land for agricultural production, and will aggravate demand for food, energy, water, social services, and infrastructure. On the other hand, decreasing population size - a result of fewer births than deaths, and people moving out of a country - can impact a government's commitment to maintain services and infrastructure.

IndicatorName: Population, total

Limitationsandexceptions:
Current population estimates for developing countries that lack (i) reliable recent census data, and (ii) pre- and post-census estimates for countries with census data, are provided by the United Nations Population Division and other agencies.

The cohort component method - a standard method for estimating and projecting population - requires fertility, mortality, and net migration data, often collected from sample surveys, which can be small or limited in coverage. Population estimates are from demographic modeling and so are susceptible to biases and errors from shortcomings in both the model and the data.

Because future trends cannot be known with certainty, population projections have a wide range of uncertainty.

Longdefinition: Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.

Source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years).

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Population estimates are usually based on national population censuses, and estimates of fertility, mortality and migration.

Errors and undercounting in census occur even in high-income countries.  In developing countries errors may be substantial because of limits in the transport, communications, and other resources required to conduct and analyze a full census.

The quality and reliability of official demographic data are also affected by public trust in the government, government commitment to full and accurate enumeration, confidentiality and protection against misuse of census data, and census agencies' independence from political influence. Moreover, comparability of population indicators is limited by differences in the concepts, definitions, collection procedures, and estimation methods used by national statistical agencies and other organizations that collect the data.

The currentness of a census and the availability of complementary data from surveys or registration systems are objective ways to judge demographic data quality. Some European countries' registration systems offer complete information on population in the absence of a census.

The United Nations Statistics Division monitors the completeness of vital registration systems. Some developing countries have made progress over the last 60 years, but others still have deficiencies in civil registration systems.

International migration is the only other factor besides birth and death rates that directly determines a country's population change. Estimating migration is difficult. At any time many people are located outside their home country as tourists, workers, or refugees or for other reasons. Standards for the duration and purpose of international moves that qualify as migration vary, and estimates require information on flows into and out of countries that is difficult to collect.

Population projections, starting from a base year are projected forward using assumptions of mortality, fertility, and migration by age and sex through 2050, based on the UN Population Division's World Population Prospects database medium variant.

Generalcomments: Relevance to gender indicator: disaggregating the population composition by gender will help a country in projecting its demand for social services on a gender basis.

sourceOrganization: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics; (4) United Nations Statistics Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years).


sourceNote: Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.


Population, female

IndicatorName: Population, female

Longdefinition: Female population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all female residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Female population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all female residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


Developmentrelevance: Females comprise almost one-half of the world population.  Female population relative to male population is a primary demographic indicator, reflecting historical events such as wars and the socio-demographic and ethno-cultural characteristics of the population.

IndicatorName: Population, female (% of total population)

Longdefinition: Female population is the percentage of the population that is female. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology: Population structure by age and sex in the World Bank's estimates is based on the population structure by age and sex in United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects. For more information, see the original source.

sourceOrganization: World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.


name: Population, female (% of total population)

sourceNote: Female population is the percentage of the population that is female. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


Population, male

IndicatorName: Population, male

Longdefinition: Male population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all male residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


sourceNote: Male population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all male residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Population, male (% of total population)

Longdefinition: Male population is the percentage of the population that is male. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Population, male (% of total population)

sourceNote: Male population is the percentage of the population that is male. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


Developmentrelevance: Society typically first acknowledges a child’s existence and identity through birth registration. The right to be recognized as a person before the law is a critical step in ensuring lifelong protection and is a prerequisite for exercising all other rights. A birth certificate, issued following birth registration, is an important identity document for children. Birth registration also serves a statistical purpose. Universal birth registration is an essential part of a system of vital statistics, which tracks the major milestones in a person’s life - from birth to marriage and death. Such data are essential for planning and implementing development policies and programs, particularly in health, education, housing, water and sanitation, employment, agriculture and industrial production. The proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been registered with a civil authority is the official indicator for SDG Target 16.9, which sets out to “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration”.

IndicatorName: Completeness of birth registration, female (%)

Limitationsandexceptions:
Data on the prevalence of birth registration is collected mainly through censuses, civil registration systems (CRVS) and household surveys. Civil registration systems that are functioning effectively compile vital statistics that are used to compare the estimated total number of births in a country with the absolute number of registered births during a given period. However, the systematic recording of births in many countries remains a serious challenge. In the absence of reliable administrative data, household surveys have become a key source of data to monitor levels and trends in birth registration. In most low- and middle-income countries, such surveys represent the sole source of this information.

Substantial differences can exist between CRVS coverage and birth registration levels as captured by household surveys. The differences are primarily because data from CRVS typically refer to the percentage of all births that have been registered (often within a specific timeframe) whereas household surveys often represent the percentage of children under age five whose births are registered. The latter (the level of registration among children under 5) is specified in the SDG indicator (16.9).

Longdefinition: Completeness of birth registration is the percentage of children under age 5 whose births were registered at the time of the survey. The numerator of completeness of birth registration includes children whose birth certificate was seen by the interviewer or whose mother or caretaker says the birth has been registered.

Source: Household surveys such as Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys.  Largely compiled by UNICEF.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Birth registration refers to the permanent and official recording of a child's existence by some administrative levels of the State that is normally coordinated by a particular branch of the government.

Birth registration estimates are primarily drawn from nationally representative household surveys such as the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Other data sources include other national surveys, censuses and vital statistics from civil registration systems, and estimated coverage of birth registration within national civil registration systems from the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD).

Generalcomments: This is a sex-disaggregated indicator for Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].


name: Completeness of birth registration, female (%)

sourceNote: Completeness of birth registration is the percentage of children under age 5 whose births were registered at the time of the survey. The numerator of completeness of birth registration includes children whose birth certificate was seen by the interviewer or whose mother or caretaker says the birth has been registered.

sourceOrganization: Household surveys such as Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys.  Largely compiled by UNICEF.


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Completeness of birth registration, male (%)


name: Completeness of birth registration, male (%)


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Completeness of birth registration, rural (%)


name: Completeness of birth registration, rural (%)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: Completeness of birth registration, urban (%)

Generalcomments: This is a disaggregated indicator (residence) for Sustainable Development Goal 16.9.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].


name: Completeness of birth registration, urban (%)


Completeness of birth registration (%)

IndicatorName: Completeness of birth registration (%)

Generalcomments: This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 16.9.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Completeness of death registration with cause-of-death information (%)

Longdefinition: Completeness of death registration is the estimated percentage of deaths that are registered with their cause of death information in the vital registration system of a country.

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.1?lang=en).


name: Completeness of death registration with cause-of-death information (%)

sourceNote: Completeness of death registration is the estimated percentage of deaths that are registered with their cause of death information in the vital registration system of a country.

sourceOrganization: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository/World Health Statistics (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.1?lang=en).


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


Rural population

Developmentrelevance:
The rural population is calculated using the urban share reported by the United Nations Population Division. There is no universal standard for distinguishing rural from urban areas, and any urban-rural dichotomy is an oversimplification.

 The two distinct images - isolated farm, thriving metropolis - represent poles on a continuum. Life changes along a variety of dimensions, moving from the most remote forest outpost through fields and pastures, past tiny hamlets, through small towns with weekly farm markets, into intensively cultivated areas near large towns and small cities, eventually reaching the center of a megacity. Along the way access to infrastructure, social services, and nonfarm employment increase, and with them population density and income.

A 2005 World Bank Policy Research Paper proposes an operational definition of rurality based on population density and distance to large cities (Chomitz, Buys, and Thomas 2005). The report argues that these criteria are important gradients along which economic behavior and appropriate development interventions vary substantially. Where population densities are low, markets of all kinds are thin, and the unit cost of delivering most social services and many types of infrastructure is high. Where large urban areas are distant, farm-gate or factory-gate prices of outputs will be low and input prices will be high, and it will be difficult to recruit skilled people to public service or private enterprises. Thus, low population density and remoteness together define a set of rural areas that face special development challenges.

Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural."

Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries.

Rural population methodology is defined by various national statistical offices. In the United States, for example, the US Census Bureau's urban-rural classification is fundamentally a delineation of geographical areas, identifying both individual urban areas and the rural areas of the nation. "Rural" encompasses all population, housing, and territory not included within an urban area.

IndicatorName: Rural population

Limitationsandexceptions:
Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries.

Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers.

Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population.

Longdefinition: Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Source: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Rural population is approximated as the midyear nonurban population. While a practical means of identifying the rural population, it is not a precise measure.

The United Nations Population Division and other agencies provide current population estimates for developing countries that lack recent census data and pre- and post-census estimates for countries with census data.

Topic: Environment: Density & urbanization

value: Agriculture & Rural Development


sourceNote: Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

sourceOrganization: World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.


Rural population growth (annual %)

IndicatorName: Rural population growth (annual %)

Longdefinition: Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.


sourceNote: Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.


IndicatorName: Rural population (% of total population)


name: Rural population (% of total population)


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


Urban population growth (annual %)

Developmentrelevance:
Explosive growth of cities globally signifies the demographic transition from rural to urban, and is associated with shifts from an agriculture-based economy to mass industry, technology, and service.

In principle, cities offer a more favorable setting for the resolution of social and environmental problems than rural areas. Cities generate jobs and income, and deliver education, health care and other services. Cities also present opportunities for social mobilization and women's empowerment.

IndicatorName: Urban population growth (annual %)

Limitationsandexceptions:
There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries.

Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries.

Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers.

Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.

Longdefinition: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The indicator is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. To estimate urban populations, UN ratios of urban to total population were applied to the World Bank's estimates of total population.

Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural." The population of a city or metropolitan area depends on the boundaries chosen.

value: Urban Development


sourceNote: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.


Urban population

IndicatorName: Urban population

Limitationsandexceptions:
Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverage. There is no consistent and universally accepted standard for distinguishing urban from rural areas, in part because of the wide variety of situations across countries.

Most countries use an urban classification related to the size or characteristics of settlements. Some define urban areas based on the presence of certain infrastructure and services. And other countries designate urban areas based on administrative arrangements. Because of national differences in the characteristics that distinguish urban from rural areas, the distinction between urban and rural population is not amenable to a single definition that would be applicable to all countries.

Estimates of the world's urban population would change significantly if China, India, and a few other populous nations were to change their definition of urban centers.

Because the estimates of city and metropolitan area are based on national definitions of what constitutes a city or metropolitan area, cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.

Longdefinition: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.


sourceNote: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.


IndicatorName: Urban population (% of total population)

Longdefinition: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.

Source: United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The indicator is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.

Percentages urban are the numbers of persons residing in an area defined as ''urban'' per 100 total population. Particular caution should be used in interpreting the figures for percentage urban for different countries.

Countries differ in the way they classify population as "urban" or "rural." The population of a city or metropolitan area depends on the boundaries chosen.


name: Urban population (% of total population)

sourceNote: Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.

sourceOrganization: United Nations Population Division. World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: Unmet need for contraception (% of married women ages 15-49)

Longdefinition: Unmet need for contraception is the percentage of fertile, married women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.

Source: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Reproductive health is a state of physical and mental well-being in relation to the reproductive system and its functions and processes. Means of achieving reproductive health include education and services during pregnancy and childbirth, safe and effective contraception, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death and disability among women of reproductive age in developing countries.

Many couples in developing countries want to limit or postpone childbearing but are not using effective contraception. These couples have an unmet need for contraception. Common reasons are lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods and concerns about possible side effects. This indicator excludes women not exposed to the risk of unintended pregnancy because of menopause, infertility, or postpartum anovulation.

Topic: Health: Reproductive health

Generalcomments: Unmet need for contraception measures the capacity women have in achieving their desired family size and birth spacing. Many couples in developing countries want to limit or postpone childbearing but are not using effective contraception. These couples have an unmet need for contraception. Common reasons are lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods and concerns about possible side effects.


name: Unmet need for contraception (% of married women ages 15-49)

sourceNote: Unmet need for contraception is the percentage of fertile, married women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.

sourceOrganization: Household surveys, including Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Largely compiled by United Nations Population Division.


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


Developmentrelevance:
Tourism is officially recognized as a directly measurable activity, enabling more accurate analysis and more effective policy. Whereas previously the sector relied mostly on approximations from related areas of measurement (e.g. Balance of Payments statistics), tourism today possesses a range of instruments to track its productive activities and the activities of the consumers that drive them: visitors (both tourists and excursionists).

An increasing number of countries have opened up and invested in tourism development, making tourism a key driver of socio-economic progress through export revenues, the creation of jobs and enterprises, and infrastructure development. As an internationally traded service, inbound tourism has become one of the world's major trade categories. For many developing countries it is one of the main sources of foreign exchange income and a major component of exports, creating much needed employment and development opportunities.

IndicatorName: International tourism, number of arrivals

Limitationsandexceptions:
Tourism can be either domestic or international. The data refers to international tourism, where the traveler's country of residence differs from the visiting country. International tourism consists of inbound (arrival) and outbound (departures) tourism.

The data are from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), a United Nations agency. The data on inbound and outbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals and departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival. The data on inbound tourism show the arrivals of nonresident tourists (overnight visitors) at national borders. When data on international tourists are unavailable or incomplete, the data show the arrivals of international visitors, which include tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members.

Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries.

Longdefinition: International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.

Source: World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Statistical information on tourism is based mainly on data on arrivals and overnight stays along with balance of payments information. These data do not completely capture the economic phenomenon of tourism or provide the information needed for effective public policies and efficient business operations. Data are needed on the scale and significance of tourism. Information on the role of tourism in national economies is particularly deficient. Although the World Tourism Organization reports progress in harmonizing definitions and measurement, differences in national practices still prevent full comparability.

Arrivals data measure the flows of international visitors to the country of reference: each arrival corresponds to one in inbound tourism trip. If a person visits several countries during the course of a single trip, his/her arrival in each country is recorded separately. In an accounting period, arrivals are not necessarily equal to the number of persons travelling (when a person visits the same country several times a year, each trip by the same person is counted as a separate arrival).

Arrivals data should correspond to inbound visitors by including both tourists and same-day non-resident visitors. All other types of travelers (such as border, seasonal and other short-term workers, long-term students and others) should be excluded as they do not qualify as visitors.

Data are obtained from different sources: administrative records (immigration, traffic counts, and other possible types of controls), border surveys or a mix of them. If data are obtained from accommodation surveys, the number of guests is used as estimate of arrival figures; consequently, in this case, breakdowns by regions, main purpose of the trip, modes of transport used or forms of organization of the trip are based on complementary visitor surveys.

Topic: Private Sector & Trade: Travel & tourism

Aggregationmethod: Gap-filled total

Shortdefinition:
International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they usually reside, and outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and
crew members, is shown instead.

value: Private Sector

value: Trade


name: International tourism, number of arrivals

sourceNote: International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.

sourceOrganization: World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.


IndicatorName: International tourism, number of departures

Limitationsandexceptions:
Tourism can be either domestic or international. The data refers to international tourism, where the traveler's country of residence differs from the visiting country. International tourism consists of inbound (arrival) and outbound (departures) tourism.

The data are from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), a United Nations agency. The data on inbound and outbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals and departures, not to the number of people traveling.

Longdefinition: International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than a remunerated activity in the country visited. The data on outbound tourists refer to the number of departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips from a country during a given period is counted each time as a new departure.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Statistical information on tourism is based mainly on data on arrivals and overnight stays along with balance of payments information. These data do not completely capture the economic phenomenon of tourism or provide the information needed for effective public policies and efficient business operations. Data are needed on the scale and significance of tourism. Information on the role of tourism in national economies is particularly deficient. Although the World Tourism Organization reports progress in harmonizing definitions and measurement, differences in national practices still prevent full comparability.

Departures data measure the flows of resident visitors leaving the country of reference. Departures are not necessarily equal to the number of arrivals reported by international destinations for the country of reference.

In many countries, the characteristics of trips and visitors are established through questions on the entry/departure cards, in surveys at the borders, at destination (accommodation surveys) or as part of household surveys (for domestic and outbound tourism). The entry/departure cards, or records of entry and departure, captured and reconciled by the immigration authorities are often the basic source for establishing the flows of inbound and outbound visitors. These cards usually collect information on a census basis on name, sex, age, nationality, current address, date of arrival (or departure in the departure card), purpose of trip, main destination visited and length of stay (expected on arrival and actual on departure for inbound visitors; expected on departure and actual on arrival for outbound visitors).

Data is collected using one of three methods, or a combination of these to determine the flows of outbound visitors: using an entry/departure card; a specific survey at the border, or observing them from household surveys because they belong to resident households. In the latter case, the information on outbound trips is usually collected at the same time as that on domestic trips.

Shortdefinition: International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than an activity remunerated in the country visited.


name: International tourism, number of departures

sourceNote: International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than a remunerated activity in the country visited. The data on outbound tourists refer to the number of departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips from a country during a given period is counted each time as a new departure.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: International tourism, receipts (current US$)

Limitationsandexceptions:
Tourism can be either domestic or international. The data refers to international tourism, where the traveler's country of residence differs from the visiting country. International tourism consists of inbound (arrival) and outbound (departures) tourism.

The data are from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), a United Nations agency. The data on inbound and outbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals and departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival. The data on inbound tourism show the arrivals of nonresident tourists (overnight visitors) at national borders. When data on international tourists are unavailable or incomplete, the data show the arrivals of international visitors, which include tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members.

Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries.

Expenditure associated with the activity of international visitors has been traditionally identified with the travel item of the Balance of Payments (BOP): in the case of inbound tourism, those expenditures associated with inbound visitors are registered as "credits" in the BOP and refers to "travel receipts".

The 2008 International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics consider that "tourism industries and products" includes transport of passengers. Consequently, a better estimate of tourism-related expenditure by inbound and outbound visitors in an international scenario would be, in terms of the BOP, the value of the travel item plus that of the passenger transport item.

Nevertheless, users should be aware that BOP estimates include, in addition to expenditures associated to visitors, those related to other types of travelers (these might be substantial in some countries; for instance, long-term students or patients, border and seasonal workers, etc.). Also data on expenditure by main purpose of the trip are BOP data.

Longdefinition: International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Inbound tourism expenditures may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services (all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services).

Statistical information on tourism is based mainly on data on arrivals and overnight stays along with balance of payments information. These data do not completely capture the economic phenomenon of tourism or provide the information needed for effective public policies and efficient business operations. Data are needed on the scale and significance of tourism. Information on the role of tourism in national economies is particularly deficient. Although the World Tourism Organization (WTO) reports progress in harmonizing definitions and measurement, differences in national practices still prevent full comparability.

The World Tourism Organization is improving its coverage of tourism expenditure data, using balance of payments data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supplemented by data from individual countries. These data include travel and passenger transport items as defined in the IMF's Balance of Payments. When the IMF does not report data on passenger transport items, expenditure data for travel items are shown.

The aggregates are calculated using the World Bank's weighted aggregation methodology and differ from the World Tourism Organization's aggregates.


name: International tourism, receipts (current US$)

sourceNote: International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


Developmentrelevance:
Tourism is officially recognized as a directly measurable activity, enabling more accurate analysis and more effective policy. Whereas previously the sector relied mostly on approximations from related areas of measurement (e.g. Balance of Payments statistics), tourism today possesses a range of instruments to track its productive activities and the activities of the consumers that drive them: visitors (both tourists and excursionists).

An increasing number of countries have opened up and invested in tourism development, making tourism a key driver of socio-economic progress through export revenues, the creation of jobs and enterprises, and infrastructure development. As an internationally traded service, inbound tourism has become one of the world's major trade categories. For many developing countries it is one of the main sources of foreign exchange income and a major component of exports, creating much needed employment and development opportunities.

This measure reflects the importance of tourism as an internationally traded service relative to other categories of exports. Such a measure reveals the degree of tourism specialization in a country's export structure and the relative capability of tourism in generating foreign revenues.

IndicatorName: International tourism, receipts (% of total exports)

Longdefinition: International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services, which comprise all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services.

Source: World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, and IMF and World Bank exports estimates.

Statisticalconceptandmethodology:
Inbound tourism expenditures may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services (all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services).

International tourism expenditures' share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services, which comprise all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services.

Statistical information on tourism is based mainly on data on arrivals and overnight stays along with balance of payments information. These data do not completely capture the economic phenomenon of tourism or provide the information needed for effective public policies and efficient business operations. Data are needed on the scale and significance of tourism. Information on the role of tourism in national economies is particularly deficient. Although the World Tourism Organization (WTO) reports progress in harmonizing definitions and measurement, differences in national practices still prevent full comparability.

The World Tourism Organization is improving its coverage of tourism expenditure data, using balance of payments data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) supplemented by data from individual countries. These data include travel and passenger transport items as defined in the IMF's Balance of Payments. When the IMF does not report data on passenger transport items, expenditure data for travel items are shown.

The aggregates are calculated using the World Bank's weighted aggregation methodology and differ from the World Tourism Organization's aggregates.


name: International tourism, receipts (% of total exports)

sourceNote: International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services, which comprise all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services.

sourceOrganization: World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, and IMF and World Bank exports estimates.


name: Fragile and conflict affected situations


name: Middle East & North Africa (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: International tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$)

Longdefinition: International tourism receipts for passenger transport items are expenditures by international inbound visitors for all services provided in the international transportation by resident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: International tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$)

sourceNote: International tourism receipts for passenger transport items are expenditures by international inbound visitors for all services provided in the international transportation by resident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: East Asia & Pacific (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)

Longdefinition: International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$)

sourceNote: International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: Europe & Central Asia (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Latin America & the Caribbean (IDA & IBRD countries)


IndicatorName: International tourism, receipts for travel items (current US$)

Longdefinition: International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: International tourism, receipts for travel items (current US$)

sourceNote: International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: Europe & Central Asia (excluding high income)


IndicatorName: International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$)

Longdefinition: International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These may include expenditures by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$)

sourceNote: International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These may include expenditures by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.


name: Latin America & Caribbean (excluding high income)


name: Least developed countries: UN classification


name: Middle East & North Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)


name: East Asia & Pacific (excluding high income)


name: Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)