Correlations between world statistics

Every indicator on this site is compared with every other. These are the 488 relationships that survived testing — measured across countries, then re-measured with population and national income held constant, so that a pair which only reflects country size is discarded rather than published.

Read these carefully

A correlation shows that two numbers move together across countries. It does not show that one causes the other. Both may follow something else entirely, and with tens of thousands of indicators some pairs will line up by chance. Each page below states how many countries were compared and how much of the relationship survived controlling for size — the smaller that second number, the more sceptical you should be.

Countries with larger economies tend to hold more total reserves.
Total reserves (includes gold, current US$) vs Gross domestic product (GDP)

+0.92 across 171 countries · +0.76 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
Democracy and power centralization are linked
Electoral democracy vs Centralization of Political Power Index

-0.80 across 172 countries · -0.76 once size is held constant · 1948–2025
Crop burning linked to N2O emissions
All Crops — Burning crop residues (Emissions N2O) vs Crop Residues — Emissions (N2O)

+0.94 across 159 countries · +0.76 once size is held constant · 1980–2050
Countries with more older men have less service exports
Commercial service exports (current US$) vs Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP

-0.59 across 186 countries · -0.76 once size is held constant · 2018–2025
Higher savings often align with higher national expenditure across countries.
Gross national expenditure (constant 2015 US$) vs Gross domestic savings (current US$)

+0.89 across 162 countries · +0.76 once size is held constant · 2015–2025
Female population linked to remittances
Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, per... vs Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita

-0.82 across 164 countries · -0.75 once size is held constant · 2018–2025
More secondary school pupils per GDP correlates with lower remittances.
Secondary education, pupils, per unit of GDP vs Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita

-0.80 across 162 countries · -0.75 once size is held constant · 2016–2025
Fewer men 50-54 in regions with high GDP growth
Population regions with projections, per unit of GDP vs Population ages 50-54, male, per capita

-0.83 across 208 countries · -0.75 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Nations with higher investment tend to import more printing paper
Gross Fixed Capital Formation — Value US$ vs Printing and writing papers — Import quantity

+0.92 across 176 countries · +0.75 once size is held constant · 2023–2024
Higher GDP per capita strongly correlates with better health system scores across 190 countries.
Health system composite index vs GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita

+0.82 across 190 countries · +0.75 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Young males linked to lower GVA
Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$),... vs Population ages 05-09, male, per capita

-0.83 across 192 countries · -0.75 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
...
Population ages 50-54, male, per capita vs General government final consumption expenditure (current...

+0.84 across 177 countries · +0.75 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with stronger freedom of association tend to have better women's political empowerment.
Freedom of Association Index vs Key features of womens political empowerment, gaps filled

+0.79 across 173 countries · +0.75 once size is held constant · 1948–2025
GNI relative to GDP strongly linked to export levels per person
GNI (current LCU), per unit of GDP vs Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita

+0.67 across 182 countries · +0.75 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
GDP per capita linked to domestic savings
Gross domestic savings (current US$) vs GDP per capita in international and market dollars

+0.57 across 179 countries · +0.75 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Higher elderly population linked to greater household spending
Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$) vs Population ages 65 and above, total

+0.92 across 178 countries · +0.74 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Youthful male population correlates with working-age population
Population ages 15-64, total, per capita vs Population ages 35-39, male, per capita

+0.76 across 213 countries · +0.74 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Urban growth links to young female population growth
Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate vs Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate

+0.77 across 211 countries · +0.74 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
GDP relates to domestic savings per capita
GDP (constant 2015 US$) vs Gross domestic savings (current US$), per capita

+0.55 across 180 countries · +0.74 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Higher GDP per capita linked to weaker health system composite scores across 170 countries
Health system composite index vs Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes,...

-0.81 across 170 countries · -0.74 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Higher health system scores associate with fewer working-age women per GDP unit.
Health system composite index vs Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP

-0.80 across 190 countries · -0.74 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Higher economic output is linked to larger currency reserves
Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$) vs Reserves excluding gold (SDR)

+0.90 across 170 countries · +0.74 once size is held constant · 1990–2025
Higher elderly population linked to longer female life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth, female (years) vs Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita

+0.80 across 212 countries · +0.73 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Older men linked to GDP per capita
GDP (current US$), per capita vs Population ages 65-69, male, per capita

+0.80 across 209 countries · +0.73 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with higher gold reserves per person tend also to have higher industrial output per person.
Total reserves (gold at national valuation) (SDR), per capita vs Industry (including construction), value added (constant...

+0.79 across 168 countries · +0.72 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
Credit linked to industry value
Net domestic credit (current LCU) vs Industry (including construction), value added (current...

+0.67 across 169 countries · +0.72 once size is held constant · 2013–2025
Urban growth linked to fewer women 55-59
Urban population growth (annual %) vs Population ages 55-59, female, per capita

-0.78 across 214 countries · -0.72 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Industry value added rises alongside GDP per unit of GDP across countries
Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU) vs GDP (current LCU), per unit of GDP

+0.70 across 196 countries · +0.72 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Aging male population linked to female workforce participation within age group.
Population ages 65 and above, male, per capita vs Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP

-0.79 across 210 countries · -0.72 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher civil society participation links to greater women's political empowerment
Civil Society Participation Index vs Women's Political Empowerment Index

+0.74 across 173 countries · +0.72 once size is held constant · 1948–2025
Younger populations linked to higher imports
Age population, age 05, male, interpolated vs Imports of goods, services and primary income (BoP, current...

-0.57 across 185 countries · -0.72 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Young female population linked to lower service exports per capita
Age population, age 01, female, interpolated vs Service exports (BoP, current US$), per capita

-0.60 across 185 countries · -0.71 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Fewer middle-aged men linked to more elderly men
Population ages 65 and above, male (% of male population) vs Population ages 45-49, male, per unit of GDP

-0.78 across 211 countries · -0.71 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with more young males export fewer goods and services.
Exports of goods and services (current US$) vs Population ages 0-14, male, per capita

-0.57 across 183 countries · -0.71 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Net foreign assets and economic value show a strong, persistent link across countries.
Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP vs Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant LCU), per...

+0.72 across 172 countries · +0.71 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Wealthier countries have fewer elderly women per GDP
Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP vs Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita

-0.81 across 179 countries · -0.71 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
GDP and exchange rates are linked
Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average vs GDP (constant LCU), per unit of GDP

+0.76 across 188 countries · +0.71 once size is held constant · 2022–2026
Reserves linked to imports
Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita vs Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita

+0.81 across 155 countries · +0.71 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
Countries with a larger share of men aged 55‑59 tend to have slower population growth.
Total population (thousands), annual growth rate vs Population ages 55-59, male, per capita

-0.76 across 211 countries · -0.71 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Wealthier countries import more graphic papers and add more industrial value.
Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) vs Graphic papers — Import value

+0.91 across 170 countries · +0.70 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Government spending inversely linked to SDRs per currency
General government final consumption expenditure (constant LCU) vs Special drawing rights per domestic currency (End-of-period (EoP))

-0.68 across 143 countries · -0.70 once size is held constant · 2017–2025
Aging population linked to imports
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita vs Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per capita

+0.75 across 204 countries · +0.70 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Young women's economic standing loosely tied to national wealth, even after accounting for population.
GDP per capita in international and market dollars vs Population ages 20-24, female, per capita

-0.78 across 206 countries · -0.69 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with higher fibre imports tend to export more goods.
Merchandise exports (current US$) vs Total fibre furnish — Import value

+0.88 across 173 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Exchange rates are linked to the value of a nation's imports
Imports of goods and services (current LCU) vs Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average

+0.68 across 160 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2024–2026
More fixed phones linked to lower working-age population per GDP unit
Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) vs Population aged 25-64 years (thousands), per unit of GDP

-0.77 across 207 countries · -0.69 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
Younger males linked to working-age growth
Population aged 25-64 years (thousands), annual growth rate vs Population ages 05-09, male, per capita

+0.76 across 211 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher imports are linked to higher GNI per unit of GDP across countries
Imports of goods and services (constant LCU) vs GNI (current LCU), per unit of GDP

+0.66 across 168 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Countries with more young dependents have fewer fixed-line phones per person.
Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population) vs Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita

-0.77 across 210 countries · -0.69 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Refugee rates relate to population density
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or... vs Total population (thousands), per unit of GDP

+0.78 across 196 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Higher transport CO2 emissions linked to more wood panel imports
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e) vs Wood-based panels — Import quantity

+0.83 across 169 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2024–2024
Fewer young women as GDP grows, more older women
Population ages 60-64, female, per capita vs Population ages 20-24, female, per unit of GDP

-0.77 across 211 countries · -0.69 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Young females per GDP link to older females per capita
Population ages 50-54, female, per capita vs Population ages 10-14, female, per unit of GDP

-0.76 across 211 countries · -0.69 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Paperboard exports and pulp imports are strongly linked across countries
Pulp for paper — Import quantity vs Other paper and paperboard — Export value

+0.83 across 166 countries · +0.69 once size is held constant · 2023–2024
Higher exchange rates associate with higher per-capita GDP across countries
Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) vs GDP (constant LCU), per capita

+0.64 across 204 countries · +0.68 once size is held constant · 2017–2025
Government spending linked to investment
General government total expenditure (current LCU), per capita vs Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP

+0.66 across 167 countries · +0.68 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Taxes link to urban-rural divide
Taxes less subsidies on products (current US$), per capita vs Urban and rural population 2050, per unit of GDP

-0.78 across 192 countries · -0.68 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Age dependency ratio correlates with service exports
Service exports (BoP, current US$) vs Age dependency ratio, old (% of working-age population)

+0.62 across 185 countries · +0.68 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with higher manufacturing output tend to import more pulp for paper.
Manufacturing, value added (current US$) vs Pulp for paper — Import value

+0.89 across 157 countries · +0.68 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Countries with younger populations tend to consume less oil per person
Population aged 14 years or younger (thousands), per capita vs Oil consumption, per capita

-0.76 across 202 countries · -0.68 once size is held constant · 2024–2025