Global History

Data & Statistics

This is a guide to topics in global history, focused on primary sources available at Boston College.

This page has a lot on it. You can use the following anchors (links down the page) to jump straight to a relevant box.

Gapminder
Select world data from WHO, UN, World Bank, International Agency for Research on Cancer and others. Offers interactive visualizations.

Immigrations, Migrations and Refugees: Global Perspectives, 1941-1996
From the archives of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency come government reports covering all aspects of global migration during much of the 20th-century, including such pivotal events as post-World War II Jewish resettlement, South African apartheid, Latin American migrations to the United States and much more. This digital archive captures translated and English-language radio and television broadcasts, newspapers, periodicals and government documents, along with analysis by the CIA predecessor agency.
International Historical Statistics
Statistical data from around the world (Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania) covering a wide range of socio-economic topics. This resource updates the latest print edition (2007) of International Historical Statistics. It includes 260 years of data, collected between 1750-2010, and offers the ability to compare by year or geographic region and to download data as an ePDF or Excel file.

International Institute of Social History: Data Sets
Includes access to multiple data sets from different spaces around the globe, predominately focused on the 19th and 20th centuries, some older. Emphasizes social history with information on labor, wages, prices and more.

Social Explorer
Provide quick and easy access to historical census data and demographic information. Creates maps and reports to help users visually analyze and understand demography and social change throughout history. Includes the U.S. Census from 1790–2000 and all annual updates from the American Community Survey.
Statista
Provides quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and more. Includes multiple researcher generated datasets with historical information available for download as XML (as XLSX) files.

Ancestry Library Edition
With 7 billion genealogical records from across the globe and millions of family trees, this is the world’s largest online family history resource.

American FactFinder
Population, housing, and income data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Historical Statistics of the United States
The authoritative numerical history of the United States.

ICPSR
Use search terms indicating education level of study such as elementary, high school, secondary education, adult education, colleges etc. Narrow search by using additional search terms such as: trends, curriculum, academic achievement, testing, environment, parental influence

PolicyMap
PolicyMap is a GIS tool for non-GIS users." PolicyMap is used as a data visualization tool in the social sciences, urban studies and planning, real estate and housing analysis, community and economic development, public administration and policy, public health, political science, education, environmental studies, business and finance, economics, statistics and geography, among other areas. Downloadable data.
Social Explorer
Currently includes the entire US Census history from 1790 to 2000, all annual updates from the American Community Survey. Users can customize, save, print, and email maps and reports and export them to a variety of programs and statistical packages for further analysis and use in reports and presentations.
Statista
Provides quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and more. Includes multiple researcher generated datasets with historical information available for download as XML (as XLSX) files.