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At the end of 2016, the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) included 4,400 datasets. Approximately 900 new datasets were added in 2016.
We always see an increase in data sharing when there are new, rapid onset natural disasters. In 2016, 42 datasets were shared about Hurricane Matthew and the Haiti administrative boundaries dataset was downloaded more than 600 times over a three week period. There were 33 datasets shared about the Ecuador Earthquake.
There were over 3,000 unique visits to the site each week in 2016. Almost 150,000 users visited the site throughout the year from almost every country in the world. We experienced a significant peak in visits during the weeks after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti, with 4,000 unique visitors in the week ending on September 28, 2016 and 5,200 unique visitors in the week ending on October 3rd, 2016.
By the end of the year, there were 4,100 registered users on HDX. Registered users are able to access more features like sharing data through an organisation and following data for updates. If you haven’t yet registered, please create an account!
During 2016, one of every four users downloaded a dataset. This ratio has remained steady for some time and is a strong indication that the datasets shared on HDX are relevant to our users.
We are working on a number of new features for HDX in 2017 that we hope will keep users motivated to use and share data with our community. Here are a few things on our list:
- Strengthening HXL preview, a new feature that enables quick visualisation of HXL-tagged data.
- Designing new pages for events, crises and locations that help users quickly find relevant data.
- Engaging with new organisations, especially through our new lab in Dakar, to share data about humanitarian crises.
- Increasing the number of datasets that can be visualised and combined with other sources to creating insight.
Our team is motivated to deliver these new features and improved functionality. We are grateful to the many users who provide feedback, share datasets and help us to stay user-driven. Please send feedback to hdx@un.org or reach us on Twitter at @humdata.