by Lisa A

flickr image by artnoose

Voted one of the best free reference websites in 2011 by the American Library Association, this site aims to make “world statistics available in a thought-provoking and time relevant format to a wide audience around the world” .

Available in 34 languages and covering areas such as world population, government and economics, society and media, environment, food, water, energy and health, Worldometers puts data from authoritative and respected organisations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation through their own algorithm to display continuous changes in world statistics through real time counters.

Some of the statistics you can track and compare:

• Births this year
• Births today (“today” being based on the time set on your computer’s clock)
• Deaths this year
• Computers sold this year
• New book titles published this year
• Cellular phones sold today
• Emails send today
• Google searches today
• Forest loss this year
• CO2 emissions this year
• Undernourished people in the world (interesting and sobering to track this change alongside the counter on People who died from hunger today)
• Overweight people in the world
• Days left to the end of oil – probably not in my lifetime but certainly in my son’s.

Most of the counters have a drop down info link that provides detailed information on sources and, in some cases, quick facts to flesh out the bare statistics.

For students working with statistics, or interested in environmental issues, health issues and trends in technology, Worldometers is a great prompt for discussion and idea generation.

For more information go to the FAQ page

Worldometers - real time world statistics. 21 Jun 2012 Worldometers.info. 21 Jun. 2012