Introduction:
The primary purpose of Our World in Data (OWID) is to present reliable, evidence-based research and visual data on major global challenges such as poverty, education, health, energy, environment, and technological progress. It was created to make complex, long-term global trends accessible to researchers, students, and policymakers through open, interactive visualisations and datasets.
The platform aims to bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding by transforming raw data into comprehensible formats. By offering free access to visualised data accompanied by detailed explanations and methodological transparency, OWID promotes informed public discourse and supports evidence-based decision-making.
Its core mission is not only to document the state of the world but to highlight measurable progress over time, thereby encouraging data-driven optimism and constructive global action. Through its open-data philosophy, it fosters collaboration across academic, journalistic, and educational communities.
Our World in Data was launched in 2011 by economist Max Roser at the University of Oxford. It initially began as a small academic project within the Oxford Martin Programme on Global Development and evolved into an independent non-profit organisation.
Over the years, the platform has undergone continuous development in both design and content scope. In 2019, OWID became part of the Global Change Data Lab (GCDL), a registered charitable organisation that manages its infrastructure. The platform now includes datasets updated daily or weekly from trusted international sources such as the United Nations, World Bank, WHO, and IMF.
Our World in Data is distinguished by several features that make it a vital data dissemination and analysis resource: