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.
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Crop burning linked to manure emissions
Emission Totals - Direct emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils vs All Crops — Burning crop residues (Emissions N2O)
+0.82 across 157 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
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Aging populations linked to less transport imports
Transport services (% of service imports, BoP) vs Population ages 65 and above (% of total population)
-0.55 across 184 countries · -0.45 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Higher cattle milk yield is linked to greater wood imports across countries
Industrial roundwood — Import quantity vs Raw milk of cattle — Yield/Carcass Weight
+0.57 across 163 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2023–2024
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Wealthier nations have stronger currencies
US dollar per domestic currency (End-of-period (EoP)) vs Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita
+0.59 across 168 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
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Countries with more paper imports tend to have higher mobile subscriptions
Paper and paperboard — Import quantity vs Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled
+0.75 across 177 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2024–2024
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Political rights linked to a country's gendered population-to-GDP ratio.
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled vs Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, per...
+0.59 across 169 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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GNI per capita relates to liberties index
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index vs GNI, Atlas method (current US$), per capita
+0.61 across 169 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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More mobile money, less traditional bank credit for private sector
Monetary Sector credit to private sector (% GDP) vs Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP
-0.60 across 174 countries · -0.45 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
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More young people per GDP unit linked to higher banana production
Bananas — Production vs Population aged 15-24 years (thousands), per unit of GDP
+0.55 across 123 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
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Countries with more SDRs import more per capita
Special drawing rights per domestic currency (End-of-period (EoP)) vs Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita
+0.60 across 152 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
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Higher rural population share linked to worse executive corruption
Executive Corruption Index vs Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, per unit of GDP
+0.62 across 150 countries · +0.45 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Higher currency values often align with higher GDP per capita across countries.
GDP per capita (current US$) vs US dollar per domestic currency (End-of-period (EoP))
+0.59 across 176 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
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Less corruption linked to more girls in school
Executive Corruption Index vs Enrolment in primary education, female (number), per unit of GDP
+0.60 across 160 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Consumption linked to women's empowerment
Women's political empowerment index vs. electoral democracy index vs Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), per capita
+0.59 across 152 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Countries with a higher share of teenage girls tend to have weaker local currencies relative to the US dollar.
DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) vs Population ages 15-19, female, per capita
+0.55 across 214 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Services value added linked to male population 65-69
Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP vs Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP
-0.59 across 203 countries · -0.44 once size is held constant · 2015–2025
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More young males linked to more male primary teachers
Population ages 0-14, male vs Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled
+0.93 across 172 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Women's empowerment linked to SDR allocation
Women's Political Empowerment Index vs SDR Allocation, SDR, per capita
+0.60 across 170 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Political rights lower in richer countries
GDP per capita vs Political rights rating fh, gaps filled
-0.56 across 189 countries · -0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Exports drop as agriculture grows
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant... vs Goods exports (BoP, current US$), per capita
-0.56 across 181 countries · -0.44 once size is held constant · 2016–2025
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Exports and mobile subscriptions linked
Exports of goods and services (current US$) vs Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled
+0.65 across 182 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
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Higher youth dependency links to lower male senior population per GDP
Age dependency ratio, young (% of working-age population) vs Population ages 65 and above, male, per unit of GDP
+0.60 across 209 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Manufacturing value added inversely relates to consumption expenditure
Manufacturing, value added (constant LCU), per unit of GDP vs Final consumption expenditure (current US$), per capita
-0.56 across 164 countries · -0.44 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
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Higher GDP per capita linked to greater women's political empowerment
Gross Domestic Product — Value US$ per capita vs Key features of womens political empowerment, gaps filled
+0.61 across 152 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Household spending relative to GDP linked to population size, after controlling for GDP.
Total population (thousands), per unit of GDP vs Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure...
+0.56 across 169 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2018–2025
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Countries with more imports have higher metal imports
Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$) vs Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports)
+0.65 across 147 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2019–2025
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Youth population linked to government spending
General government total expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP vs Population aged 15-24 years (thousands), per unit of GDP
+0.56 across 195 countries · +0.44 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
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Service imports fall as male 55-59 population grows
Population ages 55-59, male, annual growth rate vs Service imports (BoP, current US$), per capita
-0.56 across 185 countries · -0.44 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Weaker currencies link to more women aged 50-54 per GDP
US dollar per domestic currency (End-of-period (EoP)) vs Population ages 50-54, female, per unit of GDP
-0.59 across 176 countries · -0.44 once size is held constant · 2022–2025
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Net income from abroad linked to lower consumption
Final consumption expenditure (current LCU) vs Net primary income (Net income from abroad) (current LCU)
-0.58 across 180 countries · -0.43 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
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Young population linked to lower reserves
Population aged 15-24 years (thousands), per capita vs Reserve tranche position, SDR, per capita
-0.58 across 189 countries · -0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Democracy linked to fewer young males per GDP
Key features of liberal democracy vs Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP
-0.58 across 169 countries · -0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Female youth population linked to male tertiary enrollment
Age population, age 08, female, interpolated vs Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male...
+0.86 across 153 countries · -0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Countries with higher egg production tend to import more merchandise.
Merchandise imports (current US$) vs Hen eggs in shell, fresh — Laying
+0.75 across 165 countries · +0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Industry and agriculture values correlate
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (constant 2015 US$) vs Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$)
+0.83 across 194 countries · +0.43 once size is held constant · 2015–2025
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Higher egalitarian democracy scores associate with higher per-capita economic output.
Egalitarian Democracy Index vs Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$),...
+0.60 across 165 countries · +0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Higher GDP-adjusted population links to worse human rights scores
Key features of human rights vs Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes,...
-0.59 across 150 countries · -0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Countries with more manure emissions also burn more crop residues
Burning - Crop residues — Emissions (CH4) vs Manure applied to Soils — Emissions (N2O)
+0.81 across 159 countries · +0.43 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
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Coal use linked to government spending
General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) vs Coal consumption, per capita
+0.62 across 173 countries · +0.43 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
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Human rights tied to electoral democracy
Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index vs Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP
-0.58 across 169 countries · -0.43 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Female primary enrolment shows a surprising negative link with GDP.
GDP (current US$) vs Enrolment in primary education, female (number), gaps filled
+0.64 across 189 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2018–2025
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Countries with higher synthetic fertilizer emissions tend to have higher methane from crop burning.
Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning... vs Synthetic Fertilizers — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5)
+0.76 across 146 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
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Wealthier countries have fewer old men per GDP and better law
Rule of Law Index vs Population ages 70-74, male, per unit of GDP
-0.61 across 169 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Higher national spending links to more coniferous wood production
Gross national expenditure (current US$) vs Roundwood, coniferous — Production
+0.61 across 147 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
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Human rights and democracy linked to youth dependency, controlling for size and wealth
Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index vs Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP
-0.57 across 169 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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More democratic countries tend to import more commercial services per person.
Liberal Democracy Index vs Commercial service imports (current US$), per capita
+0.60 across 158 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Countries with higher economic output tend to have more mobile subscriptions.
Mobile cellular subscriptions vs Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$)
+0.81 across 190 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2023–2025
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Older males linked to lower elderly GDP share
Population aged 65 years or older (thousands), per unit of GDP vs Population ages 55-59, male, per capita
-0.59 across 208 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Services' share of GDP weakly linked to income per capita.
GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) vs Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP
-0.57 across 201 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2015–2025
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Female age 14 population linked to female primary repeaters
Age population, age 14, female, interpolated vs Repeaters in primary education, all grades, female (number),...
+0.74 across 170 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Higher private credit correlates with lower agriculture's GDP share
Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) vs Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Share of...
-0.57 across 154 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2024–2025
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Young women linked to elderly per GDP
Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP vs Population ages 20-24, female, per capita
+0.57 across 209 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Labour force linked to capital formation
Gross capital formation (current US$) vs Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+)
+0.70 across 164 countries · +0.42 once size is held constant · 2024–2027
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IMF reserves linked to less corruption
Executive Corruption Index vs Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita
-0.57 across 170 countries · -0.42 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Young females linked to older females per GDP
Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP vs Population ages 15-19, female, per capita
+0.57 across 209 countries · +0.41 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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Higher national income is linked to larger agriculture sectors.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$) vs GNI (current US$)
+0.83 across 200 countries · +0.41 once size is held constant · 2011–2025
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Livestock emissions linked to fertilizer use
Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers... vs Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5)
+0.78 across 154 countries · +0.41 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
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More maize burning in agriculture is linked to higher N2O emissions
Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture vs Maize (corn) — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter)
+0.79 across 140 countries · +0.41 once size is held constant · 2023–2050
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Human Rights Index linked to female 45-49 population
Human Rights Index vs Population ages 45-49, female, per unit of GDP
-0.57 across 169 countries · -0.41 once size is held constant · 2025–2025
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More working-age women per GDP unit linked to lower democracy vs. human rights scores.
Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index vs Population ages 15-64, female, per unit of GDP
-0.57 across 169 countries · -0.41 once size is held constant · 2025–2025