Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is the International Data Base?
- What types of data are available?
- How can I download the entire data set?
- What demographic resources are unique to the IDB?
- How do I find information on fertility, mortality, or migration?
- How do I find information about a country's age-sex structure?
- How are the IDB's estimates and projections calculated?
- Who uses the IDB?
- Where can I find international information not available from the IDB, such as historical censuses, or the HIV/AIDS pandemic?
- If I have additional questions/comments/suggestions, how do I contact the Census Bureau?
- Is there a list of Release Notes available?
1. What is the International Data Base?
The International Data Base (IDB) offers a variety of demographic indicators
for countries and areas of the world with a population
of 5,000 or more. World and Region demographic indicators in the IDB, including population totals, exclude the populations of countries and areas with fewer than 5,000 people. The IDB has provided access to demographic data for over 25
years to governments, academics, other organizations, and the public. It is funded by the Census Bureau's
International Programs.
2. What types of data are available?
The IDB provides many types of demographic data, including:
· Estimates and projections of:
- Birth, death, and growth rates, migration rates, infant mortality, and life expectancy
- Fertility rates
- Total population and population by age and sex
3. How can I download the entire data set?
The following ZIP file contains the complete data set which has currently been released and is used by the International
Data Base tool.
IDB_DataSet.zip (11 MB).
4. What demographic resources are unique to the IDB?
The demographic estimates and projections found in
the International Data Base are the result of over 30 years of analysis of census,
survey, vital statistics, and other data by Census Bureau demographers. The IDB differs
from some other online resources in several ways. First, the
estimates and projections of vital rates, vital events,
and midyear population presented are based on careful evaluation of census and survey
results and, in part because of this evaluation process and associated estimation processes,
represent a set of consistent estimates and projections of population, fertility, mortality,
and international migration. The IDB is not simply a compilation of estimates taken from other
sources. Second, estimates from original sources are accurately dated, and derived estimates of
fertility and mortality available from the IDB reflect that dating. Third, the projections are
generated using the Census Bureau's
Rural/Urban Projection (RUP) program, which
projects population, by single years of age, for each calendar year beyond a base year. This
means IDB fertility and mortality estimates pertain to specific years rather than being average
values for 5-year periods. It also means that the impact of natural disasters, civil conflicts,
and changes in the health climate in a country can be reflected in year-specific estimates of
fertility, mortality, and migration found in the IDB. Finally, the data are accessible in multiple
ways to meet different user needs.
5. How do I find information on fertility, mortality, or migration?
The following reports cover fertility, mortality, and migration:
- Demographic Overview – provides total fertility rate, crude birth rate, births, life expectancy at birth, infant mortality rate, under 5 mortality rate, crude death rate, deaths, net migration rate, and net number of migrants.
- Components of Population Growth – provides births per 1,000 population, deaths per 1,000 population, net number of migrants per 1,000 population, births, deaths, and net number of migrants.
- Mortality Indicators by Sex – provides infant mortality rate both sexes, infant mortality rate male, infant mortality rate female, age 1-4 mortality rate both sexes, age 1-4 mortality rate male, age 1-4 mortality rate female, under age 5 mortality rate both sexes, under age 5 mortality rate male, under age 5 mortality rate female, life expectancy both sexes, life expectancy male, life expectancy female.
- Fertility Rates – provides ASFR 15-19, ASFR 20-24, ASFR 25-29, ASFR 30-34, ASFR 35-39, ASFR 40-44, ASFR 45-49, total fertility rate per woman, gross reproduction rate per woman, and sex ratio at birth (males per female).
6. How do I find information about a country's age-sex structure?
The following reports give data for the population age structure (provides population for both sexes, male, and female, percent of these age groups for both sexes, male, and female, and sex ratio):
- Mid-year Population by Five Year Age Groups and Sex
Total, 0-4, 5-9, etc. through 95-99, and 100+
- Mid-year Population by Single Year Age Groups
Total, 0, 1, 2, etc. through 84, then 85-89, 90-94, 95-99, and 100+
- Broad age groups
Total, 0-14, 15-64, 65+
- Youth age groups
Total, 0-14, 0-19, 0-24, 15-24, 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24
- Special age groups
Total, 15-29, 30-54, 15-44, 15-49, 60+
- Older age groups
Total, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+, 80+, 85+, 90+, 95+, 100+
- Older five year age groups
Total, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 70-75, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, 90-94, 95-99, 100+
Population Pyramids
The report “Population Pyramid Graph” - provides population pyramid by five year age groups and sex. If only one country and more than one year is selected you can get animation by selecting (play button).
7. How are the IDB's estimates and projections calculated?
The IDB's estimates and projections are prepared by Census Bureau
demographers, who review a wide range of data, including censuses, surveys, and vital statistics
provided by National Statistics Offices,
and data on international migration and refugee movements. We also consider other information,
such as public health efforts, socio-political circumstances, and historical events such as
natural disasters and conflict.
For additional information, please see our
Population Estimates and Projections Methodology page.
8. Who uses the IDB?
Students and researchers, international organizations and governments, planners and businesses,
and the public use the data to make informed decisions. The IDB is often cited in journal
articles, reports, and other studies and is routinely used as a teaching resource. The IDB
is a very popular demographic resource, receiving hundreds of thousands of data queries each month.
9. Where can I find international information not available from the IDB, such as historical censuses, or the HIV/AIDS pandemic?
The Census Bureau library has an extensive collection of international statistical publications
that may address your specific questions. The library is located in Suitland, MD and is open
to the public. If you are interested in visiting our library, please contact (301) 763-1351.
The Census Call Center 1-800-923-8282 (toll free) may be able to suggest additional
resources.
Information about additional products and services - including publications on the HIV/AIDS
pandemic, global population change, and aging, as well as our technical assistance and training
services relating to census and survey data collection and processing, and our software products
- is available from the International Programs page.
10. Is there a list of Release Notes available?
The Release Notes are available for each Data Release by following this link.
11. If I have additional questions/comments/suggestions, how do I contact the Census Bureau?
Please visit ask.census.gov or call the Census Call Center at 1-800-923-8282 (toll free)..
Release Notes: August 2016
The release of the IDB contains revised estimates and projections for 14 countries or areas incorporating new data or analysis. All projections have been produced by sex and single years of age up to 100 years and over. For information on earlier updates to the IDB, see
Release notes history.
- Argentina
- Bangladesh
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Gaza Strip
- Haiti*
- Namibia*
- Nepal
- South Korea
- United States
- Venezuela
- West Bank
* Denotes that a country has undergone additional analyses to update the estimated effects of HIV/AIDS. See Population Estimates and Projections Incorporating AIDS.
Below is a brief summary of revisions for countries experiencing more than a 500,000 change from the previously estimated 2016 population.
The estimated population of Bangladesh in 2016 is 156.2 million, which is about 15.5 million (9.0 percent) less than our previous estimate. This marked decrease is due primarily to a reduction in the base population and, to a lesser extent, lower levels of fertility.
The estimated population of Egypt in 2016 is 94.7 million, which is about 4.6 million (5.1 percent) higher than our previous estimate. This increase is due to both a modest increase in the base population and higher fertility in recent years.
The estimated population of Eritrea in 2016 is 5.9 million, which is about 805 thousand (12.1 percent) less than our previous estimate. The smaller population is due to increased out-migration.
The estimated population of Nepal in 2016 is 29.0 million, 3.1 million (9.6 percent) lower than our previous estimate. The smaller population is due primarily to increased outmigration and to a lesser extent due to decreased fertility estimates in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The estimated population of South Korea in 2016 is 50.9 million, about 1.7 million (3.5 percent) higher than our previous estimate. The larger population is due to increased in-migration in the past 10 years.
The estimated population of Venezuela in 2016 is 30.9 million, which is about 1.2 million (4.2 percent) higher than our previous estimate. The larger population is due to decreases in mortality, and to a lesser extent, upward adjustments to fertility.