WorldPop Data

High spatial resolution, contemporary data on human population distributions are a prerequisite for the accurate measurement of the impacts of population growth, for monitoring changes and for planning interventions. The WorldPop project aims to meet these needs through the provision of detailed and open access population distribution datasets built using transparent approaches. The WorldPop project was initiated in October 2013 to combine the AfriPop, AsiaPop and AmeriPop population mapping projects. It aims to provide an open access archive of spatial demographic datasets for Central and South America, Africa and Asia to support development, disaster response and health applications. The methods used are designed with full open access and operational application in mind, using transparent, fully documented and peer-reviewed methods to produce easily updatable maps with accompanying metadata and measures of uncertainty.

A strategy and needs document is available upon request. The reliance on WorldPop data and methods by growing numbers of governments, development programs and international agencies presents significant risks. The WorldPop group is largely funded through a collection of short timescale (1-2 year) research and consultancy projects, bringing instability and insecurities in being able to maintain and continue to deliver the outputs that increasingly support this resource allocation, decision-making and development goal tracking around the World. Rapidly growing demands from partners and other agencies and governments that have built WorldPop data into their systems and plans are already going unmet due to a lack of core capacity meet such needs. The priority need is foundational staff resources to build a stable team and mitigate the risks, plus strengthening the capacities of key LMIC partners, and the computational resources required for large-scale geospatial data modelling.