The World Economic Outlook (WEO) database, published by the International Monetary Fund, contains selected macroeconomic data series from the statistical appendix of the World Economic Outlook report, which presents the IMF staff's analysis and projections of economic developments at the global level, in major country groups and in many individual countries. Data and projections for 189 economies form the statistical basis of the WEO database.
The WEO database reflects information from both national source agencies and international organizations. The data are maintained jointly by the IMF’s Research Department and regional departments, with the latter regularly updating country projections based on consistent global assumptions. Most countries’ macroeconomic data presented in the WEO conform broadly to the 1993 version of the System of National Accounts (SNA). Data are available from 1980 to the present, and projections are given for the next two years. Additionally, medium-term projections are available for selected indicators.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was conceived at a United Nations conference convened in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, in July 1944. The 44 governments represented at that conference sought to build a framework for economic cooperation that would avoid a repetition of the vicious circle of competitive devaluations that had contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s. As of 2015, the IMF has 188 member countries. Its primary purpose is to ensure the stability of the international monetary system, specifically the system of exchange rates and international payments that enables countries (and their citizens) to transact with one other. This system is essential for promoting sustainable economic growth, increasing living standards, and reducing poverty. The Fund’s mandate has recently been clarified and updated to cover the full range of macroeconomic and financial sector issues that bear on global stability. The IMF is a specialized independent agency of the United Nations but has its own charter, governing structure, and finances. Its members are represented through a quota system broadly based on their relative size in the global economy.
Clink on the links below to view sample DataSheets created in Data Planet that provide statistical abstracts complete with infographics of indicators included in the International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook database. From the infographic, you can also enter Data Planet to further manipulate the data and explore relationships between these metrics and other indicators in the vast Data Planet repository. [Note that when you are logged in, you can create an updated version of the DataSheet to view the latest version of the data.]
The indicators below are just a sampling of WEO statistics to give you an idea of the granularity of the available data. There are many more indicators on these topics in the repository - add search terms for agriculture, social and economic development, government, etc. to further explore the database. Contact your library staff for help in formulating your search strategy.
Current Accounts Balance: Shows the current account balance of Bahrain.
Employment and Unemployment: Shows the unemployment rate as a percentage of the labor force in Taiwan.
General Government Revenue: Shows government revenue as a percent of Gross Domestic Product in Poland.
GDP Metrics: Presents Gross Domestic Product per capita in US dollars for Nicaragua and Honduras.
Inflation and Prices: Shows the inflation rate as an index for Greece, Italy, and Portugal.
Investment: Shows total investment in Kenya as a percent of Gross Domestic Product.
Imports and Exports: Shows the trend in percent change of the volume of imports and exports for China.
ATTN DATA PLANET SUBSCRIBERS: Be sure you are logged into your library's network in order to access the Data Planet database from the links provided in these guides.
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