Two Thousand Years of Economic Statistics (2017)

Book excerpt: Data generally not available elsewhere are presented here in ways that help make it possible to draw useful comparisons. First, it provides population data for all countries for all countries of the world (271/272 countries). This includes independent states and dependent territories which have at least some population. The standard used is the Doctrine of Sovereignty, which does not require international recognition but requires the existence of separate governments with control over their territories. Second, it provides GDP and GDP Per Capita for 254 countries (within their 2014 borders) since the year 1950, plus forecasts for 2020 to 2060. Third, going back to the first year AD, it provides data for 139 countries. In Volume 1, the countries are sorted according to size. In Volume 2, the countries are listed alphabetically. (The two volumes are sold separately.) Sources include the World Bank, CIA, and Encyclopedia Britannica, and the World Bank World Development Indicators Online for the latest year. However, the preponderance of data in the book is not directly cited from them but rather is the result of proprietary calculations. Among other computational techniques the author has used a new logarithmic interpolation to account for cross-country statistical distortions when calculating in the prices of the most recent year.