Estimating aggregate capital stocks using the perpetual inventory method: New empirical evidence for 103 countries

The lack of internationally comparable capital stock data has been a major obstacle to empirical studies of the contribution of the capital stock to economic growth. In this paper, we provide estimations of aggregate capital stocks for 103 countries in 2010. Depending on data availability the time series of the sample countries start in between 1960 and 1991. The estimation is based on World Bank investment data and applies a unified approach of applying the Perpetual Inventory Method. The data can easily be extended for more recent years as soon as new data is available.