[COW] Inter-State War Data (v. 4.0)

By /

“The Correlates of War (COW) Project has utilized a classification of wars that is based upon the status of territorial entities, in particular focusing on those that are classified as members of the inter-state system (referred to as “states”). Wars have been categorized by whether they primarily take place between/among states, between/among a state(s) and a non-state entity, and within states. This dataset encompasses wars in the first category (WarType #1)– wars that take place between or among states (members of the interstate system).” (codebook, p. 1)

Inter-StateWars_Codebook

I/ Conflict variable
I/1/ Unit of conflict

Event (< 0 or 1 death)Conflict (< 25 deaths)War (< 100 deaths)Episode (< 500 deaths)
∅∅X∅
“As with all categories of war, for a state to be considered a war participant, the minimum requirement is that it has to either commit 1,000 troops to the war or suffer 100 battlerelated deaths.” (codebook, p. 2)

I/2/ Conflict domain

State-based conflictNon-state conflictOne-sided violenceTO BE DETERMINED
X∅∅∅
“The Correlates of War (COW) Project has utilized a classification of wars that is based upon the status of territorial entities, in particular focusing on those that are classified as members of the inter-state system (referred to as “states”). Wars have been categorized by whether they primarily take place between/among states, between/among a state(s) and a non-state entity, and within states. This dataset encompasses wars in the first category (WarType #1)– wars that take place between or among states (members of the interstate system).” (codebook, p. 1)

II/ Time variable
II/1/ Unit of time

DayYear
X∅
“StartMonth1 – the month in which sustained combat began: -9 = month unknown
StartDay1 – the day on which sustained combat began: -9 = day unknown
StartYear1 – the year in which sustained combat began: -9 = year is unknown” (codebook, p. 4)

II/2/ Time domain

Time domain
07/04/1823 – 02/05/2003

(Inter-StateWarData_v4.0.csv, 20/08/2022)

III/ Space variable
III/1/ Unit of space

CoordinatesCountryRegionTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅X∅
“WhereFought – Region(s) where combat involving the state occurred. Values are:
1 = W. Hemisphere
2 = Europe
4 = Africa
6 = Middle East
7 = Asia
9 = Oceania
11 = Europe & Middle East
12 = Europe & Asia
13 = W. Hemisphere & Asia
14 = Europe, Africa & Middle East
15 = Europe, Africa, Middle East, & Asia
16 = Africa, Middle East, Asia & Oceania
17 = Asia & Oceania
18 = Africa & Middle East
19 = Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia & Oceania” (codebook, p. 4)

III/2/ Space domain

GlobalMediterranean Sea and SahelTO BE DETERMINED
X∅∅
“WhereFought – Region(s) where combat involving the state occurred. Values are:
1 = W. Hemisphere
2 = Europe
4 = Africa
6 = Middle East
7 = Asia
9 = Oceania
11 = Europe & Middle East
12 = Europe & Asia
13 = W. Hemisphere & Asia
14 = Europe, Africa & Middle East
15 = Europe, Africa, Middle East, & Asia
16 = Africa, Middle East, Asia & Oceania
17 = Asia & Oceania
18 = Africa & Middle East
19 = Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia & Oceania” (codebook, p. 4)

IV/ Data structure
IV/1/ Unit of observation

Unit of conflict (UC)UC-yearUC-actorCountry-year
∅∅∅∅
Actor-yearDyad-yearOTHERTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅X∅
“In general, there is one record for each state war participant, unless the state changed sides during the war, in which case there are two records.” (codebook, p. 3)

(Inter-StateWarData_v4.0.csv, 20/08/2022)

IV/2/ Number of observations

Number of observations
337

(Inter-StateWarData_v4.0.csv, 20/08/2022)

V/ All variables

Conflict nameConflict typeIntensity
XX∅
OutcomeTimeSpace
XXX
ActorType of actorDyad
∅X∅
CoalitionDeathsNon-conflit variables
∅X∅
“WarName –
the name given to the war” (codebook, p. 3)
“WarType –
1 = Inter-state war” (codebook, p. 3)
“Outcome: coded as:
1 = Winner
2 = Loser
3 = Compromise/Tied
4 = The war was transformed into another type of war
5 = The war is ongoing as of 12/31/2007
6 = Stalemate
7 = Conflict continues at below war level
8 = changed sides” (codebook, p. 4)
“StartMonth1 –
the month in which sustained combat began: -9 = month unknown
StartDay1 –
the day on which sustained combat began: -9 = day unknown
StartYear1 –
the year in which sustained combat began: -9 = year is unknown” (codebook, p. 4)
“WhereFought –
Region(s) where combat involving the state occurred. Values are:
1 = W. Hemisphere
2 = Europe
4 = Africa
6 = Middle East
7 = Asia
9 = Oceania
11 = Europe & Middle East
12 = Europe & Asia
13 = W. Hemisphere & Asia
14 = Europe, Africa & Middle East
15 = Europe, Africa, Middle East, & Asia
16 = Africa, Middle East, Asia & Oceania
17 = Asia & Oceania
18 = Africa & Middle East
19 = Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia & Oceania” (codebook, p. 4)
“Initiator
– whether the state initiated the war
1 = Yes
2 = No” (codebook, p. 4)
“BatDeaths –
the battle-related combatant fatalities suffered by the state: -9= data unknown” (codebook, p. 4)

VI/ Transparency
VI/1/ Sources

Intergovernmental organizationsGovernmental organizationsNon-governmental organizations
∅∅∅
Research organizationsPress mediaSocial media
∅∅∅
Other databasesOTHERTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅X

VI/2/ Codebook

DateVersion
TO BE DETERMINED4.0
“Inter-state Wars (Version 4.0): Definitions and Variables by Meredith Reid Sarkees” (codebook, p. 1)

Inter-StateWars_Codebook-1

VII/ Update
VII/1/ Current version

DateVersion
01/03/20114.0
“On March 1, 2011, the Inter-State War Data (v4.0) became available online.” (https://correlatesofwar.org/data-sets/cow-war/, 17/09/2023)

VII/2/ Regularly updated ?

Real-timeMonthQuarterAnnually
∅∅∅∅
YES, PERIOD TO BE DETERMINEDTO BE DETERMINED
∅X

VIII/ Access
VIII/1/ Registration ?

YESNOTO BE DETERMINED
∅X∅

VIII/2/ Formats

.XLS/.XLSX.CSV.DTA (STATA).RDTA
∅X∅∅

(Inter-StateWarData_v4.0.csv, 20/08/2022)

VIII/3/ API ?

YESNOTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅X