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.
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In Data Planet, the many indicators included in the World Economic Outlook database can be viewed as stand-alone trends, charts, or maps. The listing of indicators can be viewed by opening the International Monetary Fund entries in the Browse by Source and Browse by Subject - International listings in the indicator tree. For example, the chart below shows change over time in the Current Accounts balance of Spain.
Note that you can learn more about the indicator, dataset, and data source by viewing the statistical abstract that appears below the chart, as below. These summaries can be exported with the graph by clicking on the Export link in the menu bar above the chart. The Create DOI link allows you to create a DOI that ensures that each time you reference the data in a paper or elsewhere that the reader can view the exact view of the DataSheet at the time you created it. For more information on DOIs, click here.
The Data Planet Statistical Datasets platform makes it easy for you to compare indicators across nations so be sure to explore the many options available to do so. To select multiple countries, simply click those of interest using the check box. As an example, the chart below compares the trend in Gross Domestic Product per capita for Argentina, Brazil, and Chile:
Also consider other visualization options. For example, the chart below maps the unemployment rate as percentage of the total labor force for countries covered by the World Economic Outlook:
Try it yourself with other indicators and geographies. Keep in mind that the graphs you create do not necessarily imply causality: the results may suggest a potential relationship between the variables you select, which may be an interesting line of inquiry for your own research.
For more information on using Data Planet, see https://data-planet.libguides.com/statisticaldatasets .