The OECD Statistics Directorate Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are divided in three different topics. Click on each to view the corresponding questions and answers.
Data availability and coverage
Data availability and coverage
How can I access statistics published by the OECD Statistics Directorate? The OECD Statistics Directorate (STD) maintains this website where large extracts of STD databases are posted. To access these statistics, at www.oecd.org/std select in the left-hand side navigation bar your subject of interest then click "Statistics" on the upper navigation bar; you will see all data freely available related to this specific subject.
Free trials to the OECD databases are available available by requesting a username and password from oecdilibrary@oecd.org.
Access to the full range of STD databases depends on your position:
Does the OECD Statistics Directorate have a customized data extraction service? No, the OECD Statistics Directorate does not have such a service.
Do you have longer time series of data than I currently see on your website? The time periods covered vary between publications and databases. For most annual publications, the most recent data will be from at least one year before the date of publication (2005 data appear in annuals starting with third quarter of 2006). Monthly data are generally two to three months behind the current date and quarterly data one to two quarters. Electronic publications and online databases contain all available historical data, starting in 1960 at the earliest.
Do you have more recent data than I currently see on your website? No. The OECD Statistics Directorate maintains its website as up to date as possible. Each time a new publication is released the related information and database extracts posted on the website are updated accordingly. Some data are updated on a real time basis. The periodicity for these updates is most of the time indicated on the related Web page.
Do you have quarterly and monthly data? The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes Quarterly National Accounts and Monthly Statistics on International Trade. The publication Main Economic Indicators provides quarterly and monthly data for a wide range of short-term economic indicators.
Specific data series
I am looking for GDP data and I can’t find it on your website. The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for OECD member countries in the OECD Annual National Accounts database.
I am looking for GNP data and I can’t find it on your website. The OECD has changed its terminology to be in line with the 1993 System of National Accounts (SNA93) and is now referring GNP as “Gross National Income” or GNI. GNI can be found in the OECD Annual National Accounts database in table “Disposable income, saving and net lending/net borrowing”.
I am looking for quarterly GDP data and I can’t find it on your website. The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes quarterly GDP for OECD member countries in the OECD Quarterly National Accounts database.
I am looking for inflation data and I can’t find it on your website. The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes on a monthly basis Consumer Prices Indices (CPI) which is a general measure of inflation. CPI "all items non-food non-energy" is a measure of core inflation as used by the OECD although other approaches may be used by other organisations. CPI are available on the Statistics Directorate website at: www.oecd.org/std/prices-indices/statistics
I am looking for cost of living data and I can’t find it on your website. The comparative price levels of household final consumption expenditure are sometimes used to measure the differences in the cost of living between countries. This is correct to the extent that the comparative price levels indicate whether the overall price level for consumer goods and services faced by the average household in one country is higher or lower than the overall price level for consumer good and services faced by the average household in another country. Households or individuals considering moving from one country to another for reasons of employment, retirement or even a holiday should exercise caution when attempting to infer from these measures of overall price levels how the change of country will affect their cost of living. The comparative price levels of household final consumption expenditure reflect the expenditure pattern of the average household which in all likelihood is very different from that of the household or individual contemplating the move. Also, the comparative price levels are national averages and they do not reflect differences in the cost of living between specific locations such as London and Paris or the Côte d’Azur and the Costa del Sol. Comparative price levels are available on the Statistics Directorate website at: www.oecd.org/std/ppp/statistics. This data is updated on a monthly basis.
I am looking for long time series of monthly comparative price level and I can’t find it on your website. The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes the table for monthly comparative price level of household final consumption expenditure in the Main Economic Indicators publication. This table posted at www.oecd.org/std/ppp/statistics is produced specifically for this publication; no time series are available.
I am looking for purchasing power parities (PPPs) data for OECD member countries but I can’t find it on your website. The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes data for PPPs (including historical data) on its website at www.oecd.org/std/ppp/statistics.
I want to use purchasing power parities (PPPs) but I don’t know how to do it. Detailed methodological information about purchasing power parities is available on our website. You can consult the PPP FAQs and the Statistics Brief, N. 3 - March 2002: Purchasing power parities - measurement and uses.
Sources and definitions
Where can I find definitions of statistical terms? The OECD Statistics Directorate publishes the Glossary of Statistical Term which contains a comprehensive set of definitions of the main data items collected by the Organisation. The Glossary also contains definitions of key terminology and concepts and commonly used acronyms.
Where can I find methodological information for statistics published in the publication Main Economic Indicators (MEI)? The statistics published in MEI are accompanied by extensive statistical methodological information that outlines current national practices used by individual countries in the compilation of each indicator. This information is designed to enable users to have a better understanding of the data, see at http://stats.oecd.org/mei/. In addition, a range of other methodological reports relating to the statistics published in the MEI are also available.
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