Sources & Methodology
Last updated: December 10, 2025
The Story Behind Measured World
Measured World started as a personal passion project born from a simple curiosity: how is our world really changing? I found myself constantly searching for demographic data, frustrated by scattered sources and clunky interfaces that made exploring global trends feel like a chore.
So I built the tool I wished existed — a place where anyone can explore population dynamics, fertility patterns, mortality trends, and migration flows across 237 countries, spanning from 1950 to projections through 2100.
This is a labor of love, maintained in my spare time. No ads, no paywalls, no tracking beyond basic analytics. Just data, presented clearly, for anyone who shares my fascination with understanding our world through numbers.
Primary Data Source
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Population Division
Our demographic data is sourced from the UN World Population Prospects, the authoritative source for global population estimates and projections. This dataset is updated biennially and provides comprehensive demographic indicators for all UN member states and other territories.
Visit UN Population DivisionLicense: The UN population data is available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO License.
Data Categories
Our data is organized into four main categories, each containing multiple indicators:
Population
Total population, population growth rate, population density, sex ratio, median age, and demographic structure breakdowns by age and gender.
Fertility
Total fertility rate, crude birth rate, births by maternal age group, net reproduction rate, and mean age at childbearing.
Mortality
Life expectancy at birth and various ages, infant mortality rate, under-five mortality, crude death rate, and age-specific mortality probabilities.
Migration
Net migration rate, net number of migrants, and international migration flows.
Data Coverage
Note: Data availability varies by country and indicator. Some territories may have limited data for certain years or metrics.
Methodology
Data Processing
We process the raw UN data to ensure consistency and accuracy. This includes standardizing country names and codes (ISO 3166), validating data ranges, and computing derived metrics where applicable.
Trend Calculations
Year-over-year (YoY) and 5-year trends are calculated as percentage changes between comparable periods. These help identify demographic shifts and patterns over time.
Regional Groupings
Countries are organized according to the UN M49 Standard for geographic regions. This includes 6 continental regions and their subregions.
Aggregate Statistics
Regional and global aggregates are calculated using appropriate methods: sums for absolute values (population, births, deaths), weighted averages for rates and ratios, with population as the typical weighting factor.
Limitations & Disclaimers
Estimates vs. Counts: Much of the demographic data represents statistical estimates rather than exact counts. The UN uses sophisticated demographic models and available census/survey data to produce these estimates.
Projections: Future data (2025–2100) represents medium-variant projections based on assumed trends in fertility, mortality, and migration. Actual outcomes may differ significantly.
Data Gaps: Some countries have limited vital registration systems, leading to greater uncertainty in their demographic estimates.
Not Official Statistics: This portal is for informational and educational purposes. For official statistics, please consult the original UN data sources or national statistical offices.
Update Frequency
I update the database when new UN World Population Prospects revisions are released, typically every two years. The current data is based on the 2024 Revision. Bug fixes and improvements happen whenever I can find the time.
Support This Project
Measured World is completely free and will stay that way. But if you find it useful and want to help keep it running, there are a few ways you can support the project:
- Spread the word — Share with friends, colleagues, or on social media
- Buy me a coffee — Help cover hosting and development costs
- Send feedback — Your ideas help shape what gets built next
Every bit of support, whether it's a share, a kind word, or a coffee, genuinely motivates me to keep improving this project.
Get in Touch
Found a bug? Have a feature idea? Just want to say hi? I'd love to hear from you. Drop me a line at measuredworld@gmail.com or connect on social media.