A major step forward towards putting the measurement of well-being at the heart of policymaking was taken at the OECD’s World Forum on Measuring Well-Being for Policymaking and Development, a four-day international conference held in New Delhi in October.

Did you know that, according to the UN Global Pulse, more data was created in 2011 than in the whole of human history, or at least, since the invention of the alphabet?

The global economic crisis has focused minds on restoring growth. But does growth necessarily mean progress? What about factors which growth depends on, such as the environment or happiness? Measuring true progress demands new indicators and a major global project to develop them is now underway.

Download your file below. Please note that this edition of OECD in Figures 2007 updates the edition entitled OECD in Figures 2006-2007.
Easy to use OECD in Figures e-books can also be found at Source OECD and previous editions in pdf at www.oecd.org/infigures.

Are you confused about the state of your country and where it is going? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the plethora of information–often contradictory–about the health of your economy, society or the environment? Governments should be judged on the effectiveness of their policies and projects, but against which benchmarks? And how can citizens take part in honest democratic debate about policy alternatives if they do not know what is really going on in their own country or region?