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Access dataset files directly from scripts, code, or AI agents.
Each file has a stable URL (r-link) that you can use directly in scripts, apps, or AI agents. These URLs are permanent and safe to hardcode.
Start with these files — they give you everything you need to understand and access the dataset.
- 1. Fetch datapackage.json to inspect schema and resources
- 2. Download data resources listed in datapackage.json
- 3. Read README.md for full context
Data Views
Global Technology Adoption 1980–2008
Data Files
Explore with AIHistorical Adoption of Technology
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| country_name | string | Country name |
| year | integer | Year of observation |
| cellphone | number | Mobile/cellular telephone subscriptions |
| telephone | number | Fixed telephone lines |
| internetuser | number | Internet users |
| computer | number | Personal computers |
| tv | number | Television sets |
| radio | number | Radio receivers |
| vehicle_car | number | Passenger cars |
| vehicle_com | number | Commercial vehicles |
| elecprod | number | Electricity production (kWh) |
| railline | number | Railway lines (km) |
| railpkm | number | Railway passenger-kilometres |
| railtkm | number | Railway freight tonne-kilometres |
| atm | number | Automated teller machines (ATMs) |
| newspaper | number | Daily newspaper circulation |
| number | Pieces of mail handled | |
| telegram | number | Telegrams sent |
| fert_total | number | Fertilizer consumption (metric tons) |
| ag_tractor | number | Agricultural tractors |
| xlpopulation | number | Total population |
| xlrealgdp | number | Real GDP |
| pctivliteracy | number | Literacy rate (%) |
| pctimmunizdpt | number | DPT immunization rate (%) |
| pctimmunizmeas | number | Measles immunization rate (%) |
Download
Download CSVAbout
- Unbalanced panel dataset covering adoption of 100+ technologies in 150+ countries, 1750–2008. Each row is a country-year observation. Technology columns contain adoption units (varies by technology).
- Last updated
- 15 March 2026
- Total rows
- ...
- Format
- CSV
- File size
- 6.37 MB
About this dataset
Historical Adoption of Technology (CHAT)
Cross-country Historical Adoption of Technology dataset — an unbalanced panel covering adoption of 100+ technologies in 150+ countries from 1750 to 2008. Compiled by Diego Comin and Bart Hobijn at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).
Data
data/chat.csv — each row is a country-year observation. Technology columns contain adoption counts or units specific to each technology (e.g. subscriptions, km of railway, kWh of electricity).
Key fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
country_name | Country name |
year | Year of observation |
cellphone | Mobile/cellular telephone subscriptions |
telephone | Fixed telephone lines |
internetuser | Internet users |
computer | Personal computers |
tv | Television sets |
radio | Radio receivers |
elecprod | Electricity production (kWh) |
railline | Railway lines (km) |
vehicle_car | Passenger cars |
ag_tractor | Agricultural tractors |
xlpopulation | Total population |
xlrealgdp | Real GDP |
See datapackage.json for the full schema with all 100+ technology columns.
Source
NBER — The CHAT Dataset (Comin & Hobijn, 2009)
License
Open Data Commons Public Domain Dedication and License (ODC-PDDL)