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.

Gas use linked to consumer spending
Final consumption expenditure (current US$) vs Gas consumption, per capita

+0.67 across 174 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Older women linked to tax revenue and democracy
Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index vs Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita

+0.63 across 172 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Crop emissions linked to residue emissions
Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues vs Emissions from crops — Emissions (CH4)

+0.83 across 157 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 1980–2050
Countries with higher paper exports tend to have more fixed telephone subscriptions
Fixed telephone subscriptions vs Paper and paperboard — Export value

+0.77 across 176 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 2024–2024
Female young adult population rises with economic output, but reverses when wealth is controlled
Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$) vs Age population, age 20, female, interpolated

+0.69 across 192 countries · -0.54 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Crop emissions linked to manure emissions
Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Manure Management vs Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5)

+0.86 across 173 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
Higher judicial corruption links to less equal access to power globally
Equal Access to Power Index vs Judicial Corruption Score

+0.62 across 173 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 1948–2025
Judicial corruption linked to exports
Judicial Corruption Score vs Exports of goods, services and primary income (BoP, current...

+0.70 across 158 countries · +0.54 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher crop residue emissions are strongly linked to higher methane emissions in agriculture.
Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - IPCC Agriculture vs All Crops — Crop residues (Indirect emissions N2O)

+0.88 across 160 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
Countries with more SDRs import more sawnwood
Reserve tranche position, SDR, per capita vs Sawnwood — Import value, per capita

+0.67 across 168 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Less credit linked to more primary enrolment
Domestic credit to private sector (% of GDP) vs Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number), per unit of GDP

-0.65 across 166 countries · -0.53 once size is held constant · 2014–2025
Countries with more older adults export more commercial services per GDP unit
Commercial service exports (current US$), per unit of GDP vs Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per capita

+0.57 across 182 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with larger urban populations tend to have higher GDP.
Urban population vs Gross Domestic Product — Value US$, 2015 prices

+0.83 across 181 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Female 55-59 growth rate linked to youth population
Population ages 0-14 (% of total population) vs Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate

+0.61 across 214 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Rural population linked to lower industry value
Rural population, per capita vs Industry (including construction), value added (constant...

-0.64 across 193 countries · -0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with higher tomato yields also spend more on consumption
Final consumption expenditure (current US$) vs Tomatoes — Yield

+0.56 across 129 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Working-age population linked to national foreign currency reserves.
Total reserves minus gold (current US$) vs Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) (15+)

+0.69 across 155 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2030–2030
Manure and fertilizer emissions linked
Manure applied to Soils — Emissions (N2O) vs Synthetic Fertilizers — Direct emissions (N2O)

+0.84 across 155 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
Service exports linked to young male population
Age population, age 16, male, interpolated vs Share of service in total exports

+0.60 across 183 countries · -0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher GDP per capita linked to weaker national currencies
GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) vs Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average

-0.66 across 177 countries · -0.53 once size is held constant · 2024–2026
Higher female longevity correlates with more equal resource distribution.
Equal Resource Distribution Index vs Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita

+0.67 across 172 countries · +0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Urban population linked to young female ratio
Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP vs Urban population, per capita

-0.61 across 211 countries · -0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Lower child (0-4) male population per GDP linked to stronger rule of law.
Rule of Law Index vs Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP

-0.67 across 169 countries · -0.53 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with faster population growth tend to have lower output per worker.
Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual... vs Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ (ILO modelled estimates)

-0.68 across 148 countries · -0.52 once size is held constant · 2030–2030
Midlife men's population linked to earlier group's size
Population ages 45-49, male, annual growth rate vs Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP

+0.61 across 211 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher foreign exchange reserves link to more imports per person.
Reserves excluding gold, foreign exchange (SDR), per capita vs Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita

+0.67 across 143 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
Countries with higher conversion factors tend to have more mobile subscriptions per GDP.
DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) vs Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP

+0.66 across 202 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2020–2025
Higher services share in GDP often aligns with higher per capita GDP
Services, value added (% of GDP) vs GDP (constant 2015 US$), per capita

+0.64 across 201 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2015–2025
Higher fibre furnish imports associate with more non-coniferous sawnwood imports
Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity vs Total fibre furnish — Import value

+0.67 across 174 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2023–2024
Urban growth slows with export increase
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate vs Exports of goods and services (BoP, current US$), per capita

-0.65 across 183 countries · -0.52 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher tax revenue correlates with greater imports of non-coniferous sawnwood globally.
Taxes less subsidies on products (current US$) vs Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity

+0.69 across 166 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Female adult population rises with industry value added across countries
Industry (including construction), value added (current US$) vs Age population, age 18, female, interpolated

+0.71 across 201 countries · -0.52 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Countries with more gold reserves tend to have more fixed telephone lines
Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled vs Gold reserves at market value (SDR)

+0.74 across 149 countries · +0.52 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
Lower young female child populations correlate with more working-age adults.
Population ages 15-64, total, per capita vs Population ages 00-04, female, per capita

-0.59 across 213 countries · -0.52 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Refugees linked to democracy features
Key features of democracy vs Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or...

-0.58 across 172 countries · -0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher manufacturing share in GDP linked to smaller young male populations
Age population, age 11, male, interpolated vs Manufacturing value added to gdp, per unit of GDP

-0.57 across 192 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Female primary enrolment linked to remittances
Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per capita vs Personal remittances, paid (current US$), per capita

-0.57 across 174 countries · -0.51 once size is held constant · 2016–2025
Service exports decrease with female youth population
Age population, age 05, female, interpolated vs Service exports (BoP, current US$), per unit of GDP

-0.66 across 184 countries · -0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Aging population linked to women's civil participation
Women's Civil Society Participation Index vs Population ages 65 and above, total, per capita

+0.60 across 172 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Older men and younger women populations correlate across countries, even controlling for wealth and size.
Population ages 70-74, male, per unit of GDP vs Population ages 15-19, female, per capita

+0.65 across 209 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Female youth population linked to rural growth
Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) vs Rural population growth (annual %)

+0.58 across 204 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Agriculture GDP share falls as female 70-74 population rises
Share of GDP from agriculture vs Population ages 70-74, female, per capita

-0.63 across 197 countries · -0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Higher GDP per capita linked to more overweight men globally
GDP per capita (current US$) vs Share of men who are overweight or obese

+0.64 across 193 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Higher egalitarian political institutions correlate with greater household spending per person.
Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure per... vs Egalitarian Political Institutions Index

+0.65 across 150 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Older women linked to faster growth in younger men
Population ages 40-44, female, per capita vs Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate

-0.56 across 214 countries · -0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
More wheat crop waste may link to higher nitrogen emissions from fertilizers.
Wheat — Crop residues (Emissions N2O) vs Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that...

+0.71 across 109 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
Countries with more young boys export fewer commercial services per GDP
Age population, age 05, male, interpolated vs Commercial service exports (current US$), per unit of GDP

-0.64 across 183 countries · -0.51 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Female population 50-54 linked to consumption
Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP vs Final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP

+0.66 across 182 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Countries importing more sawnwood tend to export more paper and paperboard
Sawnwood — Import quantity vs Other paper and paperboard — Export quantity

+0.68 across 174 countries · +0.51 once size is held constant · 2023–2024
Nations with higher egg yields import more printing paper per person
Hen eggs in shell, fresh — Yield/Carcass Weight vs Printing and writing papers — Import value, per capita

+0.62 across 155 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 2023–2024
Higher paper imports per person linked to fewer elderly women per GDP unit
Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP vs Printing and writing papers — Import value, per capita

-0.66 across 179 countries · -0.50 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Higher fossil fuel use per person linked to greater plywood imports
Plywood and LVL — Import value vs Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita

+0.69 across 178 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
Young males relate to secondary income
Net secondary income (BoP, current US$) vs Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP

+0.60 across 185 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 2018–2025
Higher female child population linked to lower service exports per GDP
Age population, age 09, female, interpolated vs Commercial service exports (current US$), per unit of GDP

-0.63 across 183 countries · -0.50 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Service exports relate to service imports
Service exports (BoP, current US$), per unit of GDP vs Service imports (BoP, current US$), per capita

+0.68 across 199 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 1994–2025
More mobile subscriptions are linked to higher merchandise imports
Merchandise imports (current US$) vs Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled

+0.75 across 199 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Young girls' relative presence linked to civil liberties
Civil liberties rating, gaps filled vs Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP

+0.61 across 190 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
Liberal democracies tend to have higher women's political participation
Women's Political Participation Index vs Key features of liberal democracy, gaps filled

+0.57 across 173 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 1948–2025
Young population linked to consumption
Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure (% of GDP) vs Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP

+0.59 across 181 countries · +0.50 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
Young women population linked to import levels
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita vs Population ages 25-29, female, per capita

-0.58 across 204 countries · -0.50 once size is held constant · 2025–2025