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Sources of available data
Using these and other sources that may occur to you, you will probably
be able to find a great amount of available data on a large number
of topics or problems in your country. Three valuable sources are:
- National sources of data;
- Data made available by international organizations;
and
- Data available on web sites throughout the world.
National sources
A great variety and quantity of data, including the kinds
listed in Table 12.1, are available in most developing
countries. Table 12.1 is organized to
help you think about and find specific kinds of data. The column
on the left lists broad topics such as "Population characteristics,"
etc., and names of ministries that collect data in the indicated area;
the right-hand column identifies the kinds of variables for which data
are frequently available. Browsing through the table may give
you an idea for a research project.
Table 12.1. Kinds of Statistical Data
Available from Government Sources in Most Developing Countries
|
Kind of data and sources
(From the Ministry of)
|
Typical variables |
Population characteristics
Planning or statistics or |
Births: gender, legitimacy; gender, age distribution, literacy,
language spoken; deaths, causes of deaths; kinds of occupations;
place of residence; marriages, ages of Economic Development, spouses,
previous marital status; divorces, ages at divorce |
Migration
Planning or Statistics or Security |
Numbers of foreign visitors, country of origin; immigrants, origin,
age, gender, place and date of arrival, nationality; displaced person,
origins, locations, numbers, ages, gender; displaced persons,
internal migration |
| Housing or Statistics |
Types of dwelling, number of rooms per dwelling, water availability,
kind of or lighting, sewage |
Education
Education or Higher Education |
Enrollments, age and gender by grade level, graduates, degrees,
certificates; school personnel, numbers, training, teachers, administrators,
other personnel; degrees, certificates; facilities, buildings, rooms,
equipment, laboratories |
Health
Health or Statistics |
Inoculations, illnesses, deaths, accidents; personnel, number,
training, kind of personnel (doctors, nurses, others), locations
(cities, towns, rural areas), degrees, certificates |
Taxation
Finance or National Economy |
Taxes paid by individuals, amounts paid,
by gender, age, occupations, income; taxes paid by kinds of industrial
and commercial organizations, kinds and amounts paid by organizations;
other taxes paid |
Data described in Table 12.1 may be available
at various places in your country. Your university library is a good
place to start. Most university libraries receive copies of publications,
including statistical reports from government ministries and international
organizations. Discussion with a librarian may lead you to what you
want. If your library cannot supply the kind of statistical data you
are looking for, there are other sources in most countries. One is the
ministry responsible for producing data in a given area — education,
health, social services, etc. Ministries that collect and organize social
data are also listed in Table 12.1.
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