Do governments worldwide have the ability to implement their policies and achieve their goals?
Explore research and data on state capacity.
Latest:Our latest articles, updates and announcements
Life expectancy has increased across the world, but large differences remain
People are living longer around the world. Explore global data on life expectancy and how it has changed over time.Period versus cohort measures: what’s the difference?
What do the terms “period” and “cohort” mean in statistics? How do they differ, and why does it matter?Why do women live longer than men?
Women tend to live longer than men in all countries — but the sex gap in life expectancy is not a constant.Child mortality has declined, but millions of children still die every year, many from preventable causes
Explore a major overhaul of our work on child and infant mortality.The Human Development Index and related indices: what they are and what we can learn from them
Researchers have developed several indices that aim to capture human development. How do they work?How much plastic ends up in the ocean? Where does it come from?
Explore global data on plastics and plastic pollution.Substantial progress on global education, but hundreds of millions of children do not get to go to school
Explore a major overhaul of our work on global education.How different measures capture how common and deadly conflicts are, and when to use which one
There are several ways to capture how common and deadly armed conflicts are. What are they? And when is which measure best?Redesigning our interactive data visualizations
We have redesigned our interactive visualizations to improve their layout and functionality. Three product and engineering team members discuss the changes and our plans to improve things further.How major sources collect data on conflicts and conflict deaths, and when to use which one
There are many ways to measure armed conflicts and conflict deaths. What approaches do different researchers take? And when is which approach best?How does the risk of death change as we age – and how has this changed over time?
Death rates decline rapidly after birth but rise again in adolescence. From adulthood onwards, they rise exponentially.Welcoming Rachel Glennerster and Andrew Dilnot
We are very excited to share that Rachel Glennerster and Andrew Dilnot have joined our Board of Trustees.Help us build a public good for the world: a letter from our founder, Max Roser
Our small, dedicated team of experts is building more than a website; our ambition is to build a public good for the world. In this letter, we explain why your support is crucial for us to achieve our mission.How much CO2 can the world emit while keeping warming below 1.5°C and 2°C?
The budget to keep temperatures below 1.5°C is less than a decade of current emissions. For 2°C, it’s less than three decades.Per capita, national, historical: how do countries compare on CO2 metrics?
There are many ways to measure countries’ contributions to climate change. What do they tell us?How many animals get slaughtered every day?
Hundreds of millions of animals get killed for meat every day.We published a new topic page on animal welfare
How many animals are slaughtered every year? How do welfare standards vary across the world? Explore data and research on animal welfare.We updated our topic page on artificial intelligence
Our page on artificial intelligence has been enriched with key insights and 23 new charts.We published a new topic page on causes of death
To find ways to save lives, it’s essential to know what people are dying from. Explore global data and research on causes of death.Which form of transport has the smallest carbon footprint?
How can individuals reduce their emissions from transport?