Information on more than 180,000 Terrorist Attacks
The Global Terrorism Database (GTD) is an open-source database including information on terrorist attacks around the world from 1970 through 2017. The GTD includes systematic data on domestic as well as international terrorist incidents that have occurred during this time period and now includes more than 180,000 attacks. The database is maintained by researchers at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), headquartered at the University of Maryland. More Information
Geography: Worldwide
Time period: 1970-2017, except 1993
Unit of analysis: Attack
Variables: >100 variables on location, tactics, perpetrators, targets, and outcomes
Sources: Unclassified media articles (Note: Please interpret changes over time with caution. Global patterns are driven by diverse trends in particular regions, and data collection is influenced by fluctuations in access to media coverage over both time and place.)
Definition of terrorism:
"The threatened or actual use of illegal force and violence by a non-state actor to attain a political, economic, religious, or social goal through fear, coercion, or intimidation."
The Global Terrorism Database is funded through START, by the US Department of State (Contract Number: SAQMMA12M1292) and the US Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s Office of University Programs (Award Number 2012-ST-061-CS0001, CSTAB 3.1). The coding decisions and classifications contained in the database are determined independently by START researchers and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official views or policies of the United States Government.
Link for dataset: