Data Sources
Transparency about data sources is fundamental to OpenPlanetData. This page documents all the sources we use, what data they provide, and how we evaluate their reliability.
Source Selection Criteria
Section titled “Source Selection Criteria”We evaluate potential data sources based on:
| Criterion | Description |
|---|---|
| Authority | Is the source the official or authoritative provider of this data? |
| Accuracy | How accurate is the data based on independent verification? |
| Currency | How frequently is the source updated? |
| Accessibility | Is the data freely accessible and machine-readable? |
| Licensing | Does the license allow redistribution? |
Country Data Sources
Section titled “Country Data Sources”ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency
Section titled “ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency”The official source for country codes:
- ISO 3166-1 - Country codes (alpha-2, alpha-3, numeric)
- ISO 3166-2 - Subdivision codes
What we use: Official country codes, country names
United Nations
Section titled “United Nations”Official international organization data:
- UN Statistics Division - Country and area codes
- UN Member States - Membership information
What we use: Country status, UN membership, official names
GeoNames
Section titled “GeoNames”Open geographic database with extensive location data:
- Countries - Country information and boundaries
- Administrative Divisions - Regions, states, provinces
What we use: Geographic coordinates, population data, alternate names
Other Sources
Section titled “Other Sources”| Source | Data Provided |
|---|---|
| Rest Countries | Supplementary country data |
| World Bank | Population, economic data |
| CIA World Factbook | General country information |
Source Freshness
Section titled “Source Freshness”We monitor source updates and refresh our data accordingly:
| Source Type | Check Frequency | Update Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Country Data | Monthly | Monthly pipeline run |
| Static References | Quarterly | Manual review |
Handling Source Conflicts
Section titled “Handling Source Conflicts”When sources disagree, we apply these rules:
- Official sources first - ISO for country codes, UN for designations
- Consensus wins - If 3+ sources agree, use that value
- Document ambiguity - Flag uncertain data in metadata
- Manual review - Critical conflicts are reviewed by maintainers
Licensing Compliance
Section titled “Licensing Compliance”All sources we use have licenses compatible with our CC BY 4.0 distribution:
| Source | License |
|---|---|
| GeoNames | CC BY 4.0 |
| ISO Codes | Freely usable |
| UN Data | Open |
Suggesting New Sources
Section titled “Suggesting New Sources”Know of a high-quality data source we should consider? Open an issue in the relevant repository with:
- Source name and URL
- What data it provides
- How it could improve our datasets
- Licensing information