Editorial Policy

Global Economic Indicators publishes data, explainers and analysis about the world economy and politics. This page sets out how we decide what to publish, where the numbers come from, how we keep them current and what we do when we get something wrong.

Independence

The site is independent. We are not affiliated with any government, party, central bank or financial firm, and we do not accept payment for coverage. The site is funded by advertising; advertisers have no say over what we publish, and adverts are always visually separate from editorial content.

Pages that describe political systems, leaders and ideologies aim to be neutral and descriptive. Where a claim is contested, we attribute it to its source rather than stating it as fact.

How we choose sources

• We prefer official statistics (national statistical offices, central banks) and the international institutions that harmonise them, such as the World Bank, IMF, OECD, BIS and UN agencies.
• For topics official statistics do not cover well, such as democracy scores, military spending or inequality, we use established research datasets (for example V-Dem, SIPRI or the World Inequality Database) and name the edition used.
• Every chart shows its source. The full list, with links and update schedules, is on the data sources page, and the methodology explains how series are processed and compared.

Live, curated and estimated data

Some figures are fetched live from publisher APIs each time a page loads. Others are compiled by hand from reports, because the publisher has no API or because we need a specific edition. Charts that are not straightforward live measurements carry a label:

curated

Hand-compiled from a published report or dataset rather than pulled from a live API. It is refreshed when the publisher releases a new edition.

estimate

A model output, projection or composite index (for example IMF forecasts or governance scores) rather than a direct measurement. Treat it as directional.

frozen

A snapshot that has not been refreshed for more than twelve months, usually because the publisher has not released a newer edition.

revised

The publisher regularly revises past values, so older figures may not match the latest release.

Review and updates

• Curated tables are re-checked against the publisher whenever a new edition is released.
• Fast-moving facts, such as who holds office or the date of the next election, are checked at least monthly. Each ledger shows when its data was last verified.
• The written summaries on each dashboard, the guides and the Insights pieces carry a published or reviewed date, and are revised when the underlying data changes materially.
• Significant additions and corrections are recorded in the changelog.

How we write

Guides and Insights pieces are written for a general audience. We explain technical terms the first time they appear and link to the glossary. Every number in an Insights piece comes from a chart or table on this site, so readers can check it for themselves.

We use software tools, including AI-assisted drafting, to help research and edit, but every figure is checked against its source and every piece is reviewed before it is published.

Corrections

If you think something on the site is wrong, please tell us. Email hello@globaleconindicators.info or use the contact form, and include the page and the figure concerned.

We review every report. Confirmed errors are fixed promptly, and material corrections, meaning those that change a conclusion rather than a typo, are noted in the changelog.