International Country Risk Guide (ICRG) Researchers Dataset

Abstract

Main data files comprise 22 variables in three subcategories of risk (political, financial, and economic) for 146 countries for 1984-2018. Data are annual averages of the components of the ICRG Risk Ratings (Tables 3B, 4B, and 5B) published in the International Country Risk Guide. Indices include: political: government stability, socioeconomic conditions, investment profile, internal conflict, external conflict, corruption, military in politics, religion in politics, law and order, ethnic tensions, democratic accountability, and bureaucratic quality; financial: foreign debt, exchange rate stability, debt service, current account, international liquidity; and economic: inflation, GDP per head, GDP growth, budget balance, current account as % of GDP. Table 2B provides annual averages of the composite risk rating. Table 3Ba provides historical political risk subcomponents on a monthly basis from May 2001-March 2019. Also includes the IRIS-3 dataset by Steve Knack and Philip Keefer, which covers the period of 1982-1997 and computed scores for six additional political risk variables: corruption in government, rule of law, bureaucratic quality, ethnic tensions, repudiation of contracts by government, and risk of expropriation. Additional data files provide country risk ratings and databanks (economic and social indicators) for new emerging markets for 2000-2009.</p