IMF Data API Guide

Overview

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides a free JSON-based REST API for accessing its extensive collection of macroeconomic and financial datasets. The API covers data from virtually every country and territory, spanning indicators such as GDP, inflation, trade balances, exchange rates, government finance statistics, and balance of payments.

For economics researchers, the IMF API is an essential tool for accessing authoritative international economic data without manual downloads. The data powers research in macroeconomics, development economics, international finance, and policy analysis. The API provides access to key datasets including the World Economic Outlook (WEO), International Financial Statistics (IFS), Balance of Payments Statistics (BOP), and the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS).

The API requires no authentication and returns JSON data. It uses a hierarchical structure of datasets, indicators, and country/time dimensions.

Authentication

No authentication is required. The IMF Data API is completely free and open.

# No API key needed
curl "https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1/NGDP_RPCH?periods=2024"

Core Endpoints

List Available Datasets

GET https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1

curl -s "https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1" | python3 -m json.tool

List Indicators in a Dataset

GET https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1/indicators

Get Data for an Indicator

GET https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1/{indicator}?periods={year}

Common Indicators:

• NGDP_RPCH: Real GDP growth (annual percent change)
• PCPIPCH: Inflation, consumer prices (annual percent change)
• BCA_NGDPD: Current account balance (percent of GDP)