Sources & Methodology
Last updated: January 29, 2026
The Story Behind Measured World
Measured World started as a personal passion project born from a simple curiosity: how is our world really changing? I found myself constantly searching for demographic data, frustrated by scattered sources and clunky interfaces that made exploring global trends feel like a chore.
So I built the tool I wished existed — a place where anyone can explore population dynamics, fertility patterns, mortality trends, migration flows, and economic indicators across 237 countries, spanning from 1950 to projections through 2100.
This is a labor of love, maintained in my spare time. No ads, no paywalls, no tracking beyond basic analytics. Just data, presented clearly, for anyone who shares my fascination with understanding our world through numbers.
Data Sources
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Population Division • Demographic Data
Our demographic data (population, fertility, mortality, migration) is sourced from the UN World Population Prospects 2024, the authoritative source for global population estimates and projections. This dataset provides comprehensive demographic indicators for all UN member states and other territories from 1950 to 2100.
Visit UN Population DivisionLicense: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Economic Outlook • Economic Data
Our economic data is sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook Database (October 2025). This includes GDP, inflation, unemployment, government finances, and external balances for IMF member countries from 1980 to 2030 (including IMF staff projections for future years).
Visit IMF World Economic OutlookLicense: IMF Terms of Use
UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
SDG 4 Education Indicators • Education Data
Our education data is sourced from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics SDG 4 Education Database. This includes literacy rates, school enrollment, completion rates, teacher quality metrics, educational attainment, and government spending on education for countries worldwide from 1970 to 2025.
Visit UNESCO Institute for StatisticsData Categories
Our data is organized into six main categories, each containing multiple indicators:
Population
Total population, population growth rate, population density, sex ratio, median age, and demographic structure breakdowns by age and gender.
Fertility
Total fertility rate, crude birth rate, births by maternal age group, net reproduction rate, and mean age at childbearing.
Mortality
Life expectancy at birth and various ages, infant mortality rate, under-five mortality, crude death rate, and age-specific mortality probabilities.
Migration
Net migration rate, net number of migrants, and international migration flows.
Economy
GDP (nominal and PPP), GDP per capita, GDP growth rate, inflation rate, unemployment rate, government debt, revenue, expenditure, fiscal balance, and current account balance.
Education
Literacy rates (adult, youth, elderly), school enrollment and completion rates, out-of-school rates, educational attainment levels, pupil-teacher ratios, teacher qualifications, and government education spending as percentage of GDP and government budget.
Data Coverage
Demographic Data (UN)
Economic Data (IMF)
Education Data (UNESCO)
Note: Data availability varies by country and indicator. Some territories may have limited data for certain years or metrics. Economic data coverage is typically more limited for smaller territories.
Methodology
Data Processing
We process the raw UN data to ensure consistency and accuracy. This includes standardizing country names and codes (ISO 3166), validating data ranges, and computing derived metrics where applicable.
Trend Calculations
Year-over-year (YoY) and 5-year trends are calculated as percentage changes between comparable periods. These help identify demographic shifts and patterns over time.
Regional Groupings
Countries are organized according to the UN M49 Standard for geographic regions. This includes 6 continental regions and their subregions.
Aggregate Statistics
Regional and global aggregates are calculated using appropriate methods: sums for absolute values (population, births, deaths), weighted averages for rates and ratios, with population as the typical weighting factor.
Limitations & Disclaimers
Estimates vs. Counts: Much of the demographic data represents statistical estimates rather than exact counts. The UN uses sophisticated demographic models and available census/survey data to produce these estimates.
Projections: Future data (2025–2100) represents medium-variant projections based on assumed trends in fertility, mortality, and migration. Actual outcomes may differ significantly.
Data Gaps: Some countries have limited vital registration systems, leading to greater uncertainty in their demographic estimates.
Not Official Statistics: This portal is for informational and educational purposes. For official statistics, please consult the original UN data sources or national statistical offices.
Update Frequency
Demographic data: Updated when new UN World Population Prospects revisions are released, typically every two years. Current data is based on the 2024 Revision.
Economic data: Updated when new IMF World Economic Outlook releases are available, typically twice per year (April and October). Current data is based on the October 2025 release.
Education data: Updated when new UNESCO Institute for Statistics releases are available. UNESCO continuously updates their database as countries report new data.
Bug fixes and improvements happen whenever I can find the time.
Support This Project
Measured World is completely free and will stay that way. But if you find it useful and want to help keep it running, there are a few ways you can support the project:
- Spread the word — Share with friends, colleagues, or on social media
- Buy me a coffee — Help cover hosting and development costs
- Send feedback — Your ideas help shape what gets built next
Every bit of support, whether it's a share, a kind word, or a coffee, genuinely motivates me to keep improving this project.
Get in Touch
Found a bug? Have a feature idea? Just want to say hi? I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a line at measuredworld@gmail.com or connect on social media.