Individual Country Descriptions

The World Factbook (CIA)
Detailed profiles for all countries of the world include a section on Population showing a) age structure; b) birth and death rates; c) infant mortality rates; d) life expectancy, by sex; and e) fertility rate, all estimates for 2000.

International Data Base (Bureau of the Census)
1-page summary demographic data profiles for 227 countries of the world include 2000 and 2025 estimates of a) birth and death rates; b) life expectancy; c) infant death rates; d) fertility rate; e) midyear population by age and sex. Profiles also include midyear population estimates, by decade from 1950-2050. Site also offers individual country population pyramids (distribution by age/sex).

Library of Congress Country Studies (US Library of Congress)
Profiles based on continuing series produced under Country Studies/Area Handbook Program, with detailed profiles of 101 countries.  Each country has a section on health and welfare, including a subsection on medical care and nutrition. 

Country Health Profiles, 2000 (Pan American Health Organization)
Profiles based on Health Conditions in the Americas, an annual compilation (since 1954) of health situation (diseases, services, resources) at regional and country level for 48 countries in North, South and Central America.

Demographic/Labor Force Characteristics

International Data Base (Bureau of the Census)
Downloadable data for 227 countries available for any level of aggregation selected by user for any year from 1950-2050. Regional totals and individual country breakdowns are provided: a) regional population, land area, population density; b) population by age intervals and sex (including median age); c) fertility rate; and d) vital events, including births/1,000, net migration/1,000 and population growth rate.

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) population data (total population, 1980, 1999, 2015; average annual population growth 1980-1998, 199-2015; age dependency ratio; percent age 65+, 1998, 2015; women age 65+/100 men, 1998, 2015); b) rural area (rural population, rural population density, land area), c) population dynamics (see list); d) reproductive health (e.g., fertility, see list); e) labor force structure (see list); f) employment by type (see list); g) unemployment (see list); h) wages and productivity (see list); i) participation in education (see list); and j) education outcomes (e.g., adult illiteracy, see list).

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) total population by gender; b) fertility rates; c) dependency ratios (e.g., children per women age 15-49); d) population age structure; e) labor force characteristics; and f) education and training.

Economic Characteristics

Penn World Tables, Version 6.1
Downloadable comparative data for most developed and underdeveloped countries in world from 1950-2000, including a) real GDP/capita; b) consumption/investment shares of GDP; c) price levels; and d) standard of living index.

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) size of economy; b) growth of output by type; c) poverty (see list); d) distribution of income (see list); e) other extensive measures of the economy (see list); f) other extensive measures of states/markets (e.g., prices, state-owned enterprises, see list); g) extensive measures of trade (see list); and h) education inputs (see list).

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) macroeconomic characteristics (e.g., GDP, disposable income); b) public spending & debt; c) expenditures on education; d) monetary conversion rates (exchange rates and purchasing power parity); e) income distribution (Gini levels and income by decile); and f) poverty status.

Health Status/Burden of Illness

International Data Base (Bureau of the Census)
Downloadable data for 227 countries available for any level of aggregation selected by user for any year from 1950-2050. Regional totals and individual country breakdowns are provided: a) vital events, including deaths/1,000; and b) mortality data, including infant mortality rate, total infant deaths, and life expectancy at birth.

Indicators on Health (UN)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) life expectancy at birth, by sex, 2000-2005; b) infant mortality rate, 2000-2005; and c) child mortality rates, by sex.

WHO Research Tools
Comparative data for all countries, including a) Mortality; b) Health Life Expectancy; c) Burden of Disease; and d) HIV/AIDS information.

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) mortality (life expectancy at birth, infant mortality, under 5 mortality, child mortality by gender, adult mortality by gender); b) reproductive health (maternal mortality); and c) risk factors for health (prevalence of anemia in pregnant women, low birthweight infants, TB incidence, TB prevalence, HIV prevalance).

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including mortality data on a) life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy (by sex and age); b) potential life-years lost due to selected conditions, c) mortality by 37 selected causes; and d) maternal and infant mortality; and morbidity data on a) infant health (including low birthweight, congenital anomalies)morbidity; b) self-rated health status; c) cancer incidence by sex; d) AIDS prevalence; e) dental health; f) injuries; g) absence from work due to illness; and h) direct cost of illness by major disease category.

Health Behavior/Lifestyle

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) disease prevention (% pregnant women with tetanus vaccination, child immunization rates for DPT and measles); b) reproductive health (contraceptive prevalence rate); and c) health risk factors (prevalence of child malnutrition, consumption of iodized salt, prevalence of smoking); d) traffic and congestion (people injured.killed per 1000 vehicles).

Contraceptive Use (Bureau of Census World Population Profile: 1998)
Includes information for 227 countries on contraceptive use.

Immunizations (WHO Statistical Information System)
Comparative data for all countries, including immunization statistics.

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) food consumption and body weight; b) alcohol consumption; c) tobacco consumption; and d) injuries in road traffic accidents and injuries in home accidents.

Environment

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) water pollution (see list); b) air pollution (see list); c) energy emissions (see list); d) Table 3.5 Freshwater (access to safe drinking water, urban and rural populations); and e) urban environment (% with sewage connection, % with regular waste collection, % with access to potable water).

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) total sulphur emissions; b) total nitrogen oxide emissions; and c) total carbon monoxide emissions.

Health Resources

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including Table 2.14 Health Expenditures, Services and Use (physicians/1,000, hospital beds/1,000).

Health Personnel (WHO Statistical Information System)
Comparative data for all countries in 1998 (personnel/100,000), including physicians, nurses, midwives, dentists and pharmacists.

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) inpatient beds/1,000 population; b) inpatient beds by type (acute, psychiatric, long-term care); c) medical technology; d) health employment, by type (total health, total hospital, practising MDs/1,000, female practicising MDs, general practitioners, specialists, dentists, pharmacists and certified/registered nurses; and e) medical education and training by field.

Health Utilization

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including Table 2.14 Health Expenditures, Services and Use (inpatient admission rate, average length of stay and outpatient visits per capita).

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) inpatient inputs (hospital staff ratios, occupancy rates); b) inpatient utilization rates; c) discharge rates, by disease and case-mix; d) average length of stay, by disease and case-mix; e) surgical procedures by ICD-CM and case-mix; f) transplants by type; g) ambulatory visits (doctors and dentists); and h) kidney dialysis use.

Health Expenditures

World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank, order information)
Comparative data for all countries, including a) Table 2.14 Health Expenditures, Services and Use (total health spending as % of GDP, with separate breakdowns for public and private, health expenditures per capita in $PPP and health expenditures per capita in dollars); b) Table 4.11 Consumption in PPP (health % of household spending); c) Table 4.12 Relative Prices in PPP Terms (private consumption of health care).

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) health spending % of GDP; b) national health expenditures, by type (total, prevention/public health, health administration/insurance, and health-related functions, including health R & D); b) public national health expenditures, by type (e.g., public percent of total health expenditures, total public expenditures on health); c) national health expenditures, by service (in-patient, out-patient, ancillary/home health, pharmaceuticals/non-durables, durable medical equipment); d) expenditure by age group; e) medical price index by type of service and f) direct cost of illness by type.

Pharmaceutical Market

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) pharmaceutical industry activity; b) pharmaceutical consumption by type; and c) pharmaceutical sales.

Health Financing/Reimbursement

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) health care financing, by major source; b) flows of financing (e.g. social insurance contributions, taxes); c) medical services fees (13 services); and d) health professions incomes, by type (physicians, general practitioners; dentists; nurses; pharmacists).

Social Protection

OECD Health Data 2004 (CD-ROM order information)
Comparative data for 30 OECD countries from 1960-2001/2002, including a) social expenditures, by type (old age benefits, disability benefits, occupational injuries, sickness benefits, unemployment benefits, health benefits, housing benefits etc.); b) health coverage by type (total, inpatient, out-patient, pharmaceutical, therapeutic appliances); and c) health cost-sharing (total, inpatient, out-patient, pharmaceutical, therapeutic appliances).