United Nations General Assembly Ideal Points (doi:10.7910/DVN/LEJUQZ)

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Part 1: Document Description
Part 2: Study Description
Part 3: Data Files Description
Part 4: Variable Description
Part 5: Other Study-Related Materials
Entire Codebook

United Nations General Assembly Ideal Points

doi:10.7910/DVN/LEJUQZ

Harvard Dataverse

2009-03-02

38

Voeten, Erik, 2009, "United Nations General Assembly Ideal Points", https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/LEJUQZ, Harvard Dataverse, V38, UNF:6:WNWChI44lDpT5cheRrEf2w== [fileUNF]

United Nations General Assembly Ideal Points

doi:10.7910/DVN/LEJUQZ

Voeten, Erik (Georgetown University)

Erik Voeten

2015-08

Harvard Dataverse

Erik Voeten

Erik Voeten

2025-07

2025-07

https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/LEJUQZ

Law, Social Sciences, United Nations, roll-calls

International Relations, Political Science

This dataset contains ideal point estimates based on voting behavior in the United Nations General Assembly. This is the first version where the ideal point estimates are based on years rather than UNGA sessions. The reasons for this are that researchers in practice virtually always use years as the basis of analysis and that UNGA sessions increasingly spill over into the following year and are held in special emergency sessions on issues such as the Gaza and Ukraine. <br> <br> There are two types of ideal point estimates: <br> • idealpointfp: ideal point estimates based only on votes on the final passage of resolutions (including failed votes). These are now available from 1946-2024 in IdealPointsJuly2025.tab. These estimates are updated most frequently as the raw data can readily be found online. <br> • Idealpointall: ideal point estimates based on all votes, including votes on paragraphs, motions, and amendments. These votes are based on more data and thus should be more precise. One word of caution is that in some years this means that there are very large numbers of votes on a specific issue, such as the war in Gaza. <br> <br> The correlation between these ideal points is .9846 but there could of course still be some important differences. <br> <br> The data also includes idealpointlegacy, which is based on sessions (all votes). The correlation with idealpointall is .9877. <br> <br> There is a separate file and codebook that includes estimates for 2025. There were some really radical changes between 2024-2025. Some clearly reflect real ideological changes: most notably Trump in the US and Milei in Argentina. But voting has also become more two-dimensional. So, for instance China and Russia in 2025 seem relatively closer to the US, partially because of the US votes on the Ukraine crisis and various human righst resolutions. But in one dimension, this also means that they have come closer to the EU. When you look in two dimensions, you see more clearly that the US is splitting from its allies but not China/Russia. However, dynamic two dimensional estimates are complex and I am not quite ready to post these. Over the summer I will produce a short paper on this and updated two-dimensional estimates. For now, proceed with caution. <br> <br> Aside from the 2024 and 2025 final passage votes, the raw UN voting data are from the UNGA-DM Database: https://unvotes.unige.ch/ <br> <br> Citation: Fjelstul, Joshua, Simon Hug, and Christopher Kilby. "Decision-making in the United Nations General Assembly: A comprehensive database of resolution-related decisions." The Review of International Organizations (2025): 1-18. <br> <br> The ideal point estimates are based on the methodology described in: <br> <br> Citation: Bailey, Michael A., Anton Strezhnev, and Erik Voeten. 2017. Estimating dynamic state preferences from united nations voting data. Journal of Conflict Resolution 61 (2): 430-56.

1946-2024

World

roll-call data

<a href="http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0">CC0 1.0</a>

When using the ideal point data, please cite: <br> <br> Bailey, Michael A., Anton Strezhnev, and Erik Voeten. 2017. Estimating dynamic state preferences from united nations voting data. Journal of Conflict Resolution 61 (2): 430-56.<br> <br> and: Fjelstul, Joshua, Simon Hug, and Christopher Kilby. "Decision-making in the United Nations General Assembly: A comprehensive database of resolution-related decisions." The Review of International Organizations (2025): 1-18.

When using the ideal point data, please cite: <br> <br> Bailey, Michael A., Anton Strezhnev, and Erik Voeten. 2017. Estimating dynamic state preferences from united nations voting data. Journal of Conflict Resolution 61 (2): 430-56.<br> <br> and: Fjelstul, Joshua, Simon Hug, and Christopher Kilby. "Decision-making in the United Nations General Assembly: A comprehensive database of resolution-related decisions." The Review of International Organizations (2025): 1-18.

• Number of cases: 929383

• No. of variables per record: 10

• Type of File: text/tab-separated-values

UNF:6:b+dFEodJv6fjwRMdv/3hFA==

Dyadic version of ideal point estimates 1946-2025. Does not include agreement score.

• Number of cases: 11610

• No. of variables per record: 11

• Type of File: text/tab-separated-values

UNF:6:ewPoN5wJzMIXTqnl/bMARw==

Ideal point estimates on final passage votes by year

• Number of cases: 11440

• No. of variables per record: 24

• Type of File: text/tab-separated-values

UNF:6:1CMqSxsE5nOfylDPJckCqQ==

This file contains the updated UN ideal point estimates (including 2024) on a yearly basis

• ccode1 - ccode1
• iso3c1 - iso3c1
• Countryname1 - Countryname1
• ccode2 - ccode2
• iso3c2 - iso3c2
• Countryname2 - Countryname2
• year - year
• IdealPointFP1 - IdealPointFP1
• IdealPointFP2 - IdealPointFP2
• AbsIdealDiff - AbsIdealDiff
• ccode - ccode
• iso3c - iso3c
• Countryname - Countryname
• year - year
• NVotesFP - NVotesFP
• IdealPointFP - IdealPointFP
• Q5%FP - Q5%FP
• Q10%FP - Q10%FP
• Q50%FP - Q50%FP
• Q90%FP - Q90%FP
• Q95%FP - Q95%FP
• ccode
• iso3c
• countryname - Countryname
• year
• idealpointfp - IdealPointFP
• idealpointall - IdealPointAll
• idealpointlegacy - IdealPointAll
• nvotesfp - NVotesFP
• qofp - QO%FP
• q5fp - Q5%FP
• q10fp - Q10%FP
• q50fp - Q50%FP
• q90fp - Q90%FP
• q95fp - Q95%FP
• q100fp - Q100%FP
• nvotesall - NVotesAll
• qoall - QO%All
• q5all - Q5%All
• q10all - Q10%All
• q50all - Q50%All
• q90all - Q90%All
• q95all - Q95%All
• q100all - Q100%All
• nvotesLegacy - NVotesAll

f13642051 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 306.4195740596307; StDev 208.3553725519296; Min. 2.0; Valid 929383.0; Max. 987.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:KqRHU9EiwZziX2PL3TRWhw==

f13642051 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:YAGNmiyq8dswMLAvK3owdw==

f13642051 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:xKCI8h9ZYXL/FXt6NQdLPQ==

f13642051 Location:

Summary Statistics: Max. 990.0; Mean 605.3664420367485; StDev 215.96678315968282; Valid 929383.0; Min. 20.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:TI2d5QzYXtEXpEfpsCQDKQ==

f13642051 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:GlEP72iP6ZqwN9968e8DoQ==

f13642051 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:UDaOFbOTK8CMx9tD3C08Dg==

f13642051 Location:

Summary Statistics: Max. 2025.0; Mean 1997.161205875288; StDev 18.863560969649008; Valid 929383.0; Min. 1946.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:EJht33+SF8OsBNSZgdyCzQ==

f13642051 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 929383.0; Mean 0.11048992844070005; Max. 3.362142; StDev 0.9509408338283809; Min. -3.59439

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:sA76rxqwN9hGgew7xMfO/w==

f13642051 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean -0.1576836816971097; Min. -3.59439; StDev 0.8672983013980159; Max. 3.284484; Valid 929383.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:nEnCom4TfmFj7p5r3Q7XgA==

f13642051 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. 1.59999999993499E-6; StDev 0.8426502939754592; Max. 6.606978; Mean 0.9896032796055582; Valid 929383.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:CAKKE6nMUjnsg8OBrAhadQ==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 450.6080103359477; Min. 2.0; Max. 990.0; StDev 259.46653480164633; Valid 11610.0;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:jDraKKThJbJGHJuytO1JSA==

f13642025 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:TqFiwkCkawKDJq/cP+sMCA==

f13642025 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:EynWi6BkHTSaLtvFAsqF0w==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: StDev 20.991026025041034; Max. 2025.0; Min. 1946.0; Valid 11610.0; Mean 1992.5850990525405

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:Y7JeO/7K1M9P+rMUEfs+Zg==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11610.0; StDev 37.50633101880509; Min. 1.0; Max. 164.0; Mean 72.0014642549527;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:ImEIEFG83G3JuL/s2OxiMA==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11610.0; Min. -3.59439; StDev 0.9797215350624265; Max. 3.362142; Mean -7.202408491262238E-10

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:Mte93xoDqhuzZxcdIJAIUw==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11610.0; Max. 3.18864; Mean -0.30034477585693325; Min. -4.405897; StDev 1.0366129055205944

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:2bgx1z8/5KErZ3vGgNcqvg==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Max. 3.228303; Mean -0.23246904868906165; Min. -4.228123; StDev 1.0209742830696673; Valid 11610.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:C8EQvdVpDcisHtdT5JkuvQ==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11610.0; Min. -3.597332; Max. 3.358296; StDev 0.9768732497787304; Mean 0.0028629747237727495

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:VfGNYq0owvKLrHdX4r1ozg==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. -3.036135; Max. 3.728341; Valid 11610.0; Mean 0.22869362669896617; StDev 0.9541659238785262

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:L+/4xyaSqs2eyeps1zfE+g==

f13642025 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. -2.909505; StDev 0.952034657474501; Mean 0.2905593108298014; Max. 3.916001; Valid 11610.0;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:u8Pm8jUcgN+u8dVTDcYT8w==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 450.4114510489757; Min. 2.0; Valid 11440.0; StDev 259.319922346997; Max. 990.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:mj2gCxGTLhHw6L8iyCA4fQ==

f11824371 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:LtR+RmrlK6zgtrdtL8ZpjQ==

f11824371 Location:

Variable Format: character

Notes: UNF:6:6umNH5w02Yk5CCCs+x200A==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. 1946.0; Max. 2024.0; Mean 1992.0368006993003; StDev 20.737730301885925; Valid 11440.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:ghcfqXjAFFn66+EF9U9IXg==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11421.0; StDev 0.9800160785351253; Mean 8.282311036162359E-10; Max. 3.2292189598083496; Min. -3.548703908920288

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:2WhmjKomqnVD8G93YdYpow==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11232.0; Max. 3.0834710597991943; StDev 0.9870205440627743; Min. -3.181778907775879; Mean -2.166057139751568E-9;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:8pKeLEjjT0eNk/pNv2RP2Q==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean -1.4714521588591838E-9; Min. -3.1462419033050537; Max. 3.22251296043396; Valid 11238.0; StDev 0.9844052529354843

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:KDWA5oznYTMzaZv6qqRtDA==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. 1.0; Max. 164.0; Mean 72.20173364854202; StDev 35.55656454803095; Valid 11421.0;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:DUXWcSFP5lvvORcBxF03nQ==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: StDev 1.118722622163215; Max. 2.7490429878234863; Min. -4.968655109405518; Valid 11421.0; Mean -0.5985425200841689;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:K115zaj/rlYwu5zYpnUXlw==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Max. 2.8747920989990234; StDev 1.0363720947629478; Min. -4.348164081573486; Valid 11421.0; Mean -0.297318432027764

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:+uAI1sQPYEXw21e7pdudpw==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: StDev 1.0208974107027273; Max. 2.9244918823242188; Mean -0.2301851221447591; Valid 11421.0; Min. -4.161910057067871

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:/96hAnYEUZ3iHdP5ec9VHg==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 0.002839191294784275; Valid 11421.0; Min. -3.539997100830078; Max. 3.220309019088745; StDev 0.9771524789601557;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:kmFc572xWFICCO9rC0JBnw==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 0.2264334448537435; Max. 3.7535629272460938; Valid 11421.0; Min. -3.051723003387451; StDev 0.9548358208247854

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:Cuevqsib7c6O5Dt/QXw9oA==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Max. 3.9457249641418457; Valid 11421.0; Mean 0.287702588457939; Min. -2.9302010536193848; StDev 0.9528781554798784

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:kOaE/jN/Yz8V2eYxjT+fWQ==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 0.5492690864897486; Max. 4.805181980133057; Valid 11421.0; Min. -2.4009931087493896; StDev 0.9689706479756612;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:zG5Za86exnPY8AHKtL9kQA==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 99.1310541310542; Valid 11232.0; StDev 48.194850085635416; Min. 1.0; Max. 232.0;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:bYNfWH96/FaP4KY1URcQDw==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. -4.690354824066162; Max. 2.7800209522247314; StDev 1.0921547864859016; Mean -0.48730875574099897; Valid 11232.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:WlOUApGK7QuiEKnfyDpL4g==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: StDev 1.0296095784821038; Valid 11232.0; Mean -0.24318217993957877; Max. 2.8845760822296143; Min. -3.809731960296631

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:cCXMOTS1H4CDOPAfd2VvgA==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. -3.6576149463653564; Mean -0.1886368430304533; Max. 2.917804002761841; StDev 1.0180776779889957; Valid 11232.0;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:LZuV1HYNW2+uMg6nEtHI8A==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: StDev 0.9847748519341244; Valid 11232.0; Mean 0.0015763348949388856; Min. -3.19124698638916; Max. 3.079777956008911

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:V1nfglY27AkdEvajVrEtow==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Min. -2.7853219509124756; Max. 3.4343791007995605; StDev 0.9653809225350419; Valid 11232.0; Mean 0.18661580388546914

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:a2+49P4ONZWB1PKAjJiTjg==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Valid 11232.0; Min. -2.6881000995635986; Max. 3.692146062850952; StDev 0.9625736151317328; Mean 0.2377847371734825;

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:p21nsh5a7m/vkO6FsIgvAA==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: Mean 0.45853152465581015; Max. 4.873331069946289; Min. -2.3926188945770264; StDev 0.9640133412597587; Valid 11232.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:mE95cLM/Ix7hYxFSl8WqcQ==

f11824371 Location:

Summary Statistics: StDev 31.123575429616228; Valid 11238.0; Max. 158.0; Mean 76.40443139348635; Min. 1.0

Variable Format: numeric

Notes: UNF:6:cIpnPBEyHU0wnGLb49Un6Q==

Label:

AgreementScoresAll_Jun2024.csv

Text:

Dyadic agreement scores and ideal point distances 1-78th sessions (legacy version)

text/csv

Label:

AgreementScoresAll_Jun2024.Rdata

Text:

Dyadic vote agreement scores and Ideal Point Distances (legacy version)

application/x-rlang-transport

Label:

AgreementScores.csv

Text:

Dyadic agreement scores and ideal point distances, final passage votes. Includes 2024

text/comma-separated-values

Label:

AgreementScores.Rdata

Text:

Dyadic agreement scores and ideal point distances, final passage.Includes 2024.

application/x-rlang-transport

Label:

Codebook_IdealPointEstimates1946-2025.txt

Text:

Codebook for Ideal point estimates on final passage votes by year

text/plain

Label:

Codebook United Nations General Assembly Ideal Points.docx

Text:

Codebook new ideal point estimates

application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

Label:

IdealpointestimatesAll_Jun2024.csv

Text:

Ideal point estimates (legacy estimates)

text/csv