Useful for comparing data between countries, generally have a wide range of variables ranging from social and demographic characteristics to economic indicators.
The Libraries have many statistical abstracts from Latin American countries in print and in the CIS microfiche collection. Coverage of election data varies from country to country. Stop at the Social Sciences Library Reference Desk (2nd Floor Paterno Library) for assistance. These titles will also be useful for understanding the demographic characteristics of Latin American cities.
United Nations data and statistics. Includes links to statistical offices for individual countries.
UNSTATS provides data on a wide range of social and economic data series from 30 specialized international intergovernmental agencies including POPIN, World Bank, IMF, UNESCO, UNICEF, and WHO. Data can be displayed in HTML or downloaded in Excel or CSV format.
World Bank database. Development data from officially-recognized international sources.
World Development Indicators (WDI) is the primary World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized international sources. It presents the most current and accurate global development data available, and includes national, regional and global estimates. Note: Even though Global Development Finance (GDF) is no longer listed in the WDI database name, all external debt and financial flows data continue to be included in WDI. The GDF publication has been renamed International Debt Statistics (IDS), and has its own separate database with historically archived data.
World DataBank is an analysis and visualisation tool that contains collections of time series data on a variety of topics.
Focuses on financial flows, trends in external debt, and other major financial indicators for developing and advanced economies (data from Quarterly External Debt Statistics and Quarterly Public Sector Debt databases). Includes over 200 time series indicators from 1970 to 2015, for most reporting countries, and pipeline data for scheduled debt service payments on existing commitments to 2023. Site contains archive of reports prior to 2012 when the report was named Global Development Finance (GDF) and reports when GDF was part of the World Development Indicators.
An annual public opinion survey that involves interviews in 18 Latin American countries, representing more than 400 million inhabitants. Topics covered include: Economy and International Trade; Integration and Trade Agreements; Political Democracy and Social and Political Institutions; Distribution of Wealth; Civic Culture; Social Capital and Participation; Environment; Gender and Discrimination; Current Topics. Online analysis at the country level is permitted. More detailed analysis can be done offline using SPSS, SAS or other statistical programs down to the municipal level.
An annual public opinion survey that involves interviews in 18 Latin American countries, representing more than 400 million inhabitants. Topics covered include: Economy and International Trade; Integration and Trade Agreements; Political Democracy and Social and Political Institutions; Distribution of Wealth; Civic Culture; Social Capital and Participation; Environment; Gender and Discrimination; Current Topics
Particularly good for public opinion data, these are raw data sets that must be ordered through the Penn State Libraries. Please plan ahead since the library must contact Roper to mount the data for downloading. You will need to be familiar with SPSS, SAS, dBase, or other statistical programs to manipulate the data yourself.
"The Political Database of the Americas (PDBA) is a non-governmental project of the Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS) at Georgetown University in collaboration with the Secretariat for Political Affairs of the Organization of American States, and with the support of other institutions in the region. Through its website, the PDBA offers centralized and systematized information about institutions and political processes, national constitutions, branches of government, elections, political constitutional studies and other subjects related to the strengthening of democracy in the region."
"The Electoral Observation Section of the Secretariat for Political Affairs' Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation is responsible for organizing, implementing, and following up on all OAS Electoral Observation Missions (OAS/EOMs)." Check both the current missions and the archive.
Use the Parline Database which has information on the structure of the national parliament and the results of the most recent election (at the national level).
While this Web site is somewhat dated, it can still be helpful for locating statistical agencies or electoral agencies by country if you haven't located them above. Information will be in Spanish. Translation services on the Web can be helpful.