ICRG Historical Datasets (International Country Risk Guide): Overview

The PRS Group's International Country Risk Guide rating comprises 22 variables forecasting political risk (12 variables), financial risk (5 variables), and economic risk (5 variables). To produce the ICRG risk assessments, political information and financial and economic data are collected and converted into "risk points" for each variable. Political risk assessments are based on subjective analysis, financial and economic risk assessments are based upon objective data.

ICRG ratings are calculated annually, 1984-present. The Penn Libraries generally do not purchase annual updates to the ICRG ratings data tables, instead updating them every two or three years. The PRS Group's annual publication is available online through Nexis Uni:

• International Country Risk Guide

The three data tables constituting the ICRG Researcher's Dataset are:

• Table 3B: Political Risk Rating. This table assesses a country's political stability.
• Table 4B: Financial Risk Rating. This table assesses a country's ability to pay its way, that is, to finance its official, commercial, and trade debt obligations.
• Table 5B: Economic Risk Rating. This table assesses a country's current economic strengths and weaknesses.

ICRG provides monthly component and subcomponent time series for Table 3B: Political Risk Rating:

• Historical Dataset Table 3B: Political Risk Rating. Monthly components.
• Historical Dataset Table 3Ba: Political Risk Rating. Monthly subcomponents.

More information on the ICRG rating is provided by:

• ICRG Methodology (PRS web site)
• Handbook of country and political risk analysis / Llewellyn D Howell. 5th ed. East Syracuse, NY: PRS Group, 2013.

ICRG Historical Dataset - Table 3B provides monthly averages of the twelve components of ICRG's Political Risk Ratings for 146 individual countries, January 1984-present.

The ICRG Historical Dataset - Table 3B consists of 12 variables:

The ICRG Historical Dataset is licensed for use by Penn students, faculty, and staff. It should not be redistributed. Additional appropriate-use information is provided in the data file.

ICRG Historical Dataset - Table 3Ba provides monthly averages of the three subcomponents for each of five components of ICRG's Political Risk Ratings for 141 individual countries, May 2001-present.

The ICRG Historical Dataset - Table 3Ba consists of 20 variables, that is, 3 subcomponent variables for each component plus the component variable:

The ICRG Historical Dataset is licensed for use by Penn students, faculty, and staff. It should not be redistributed. Additional appropriate-use information is provided in the data file.