[PRIO] The Natural Resource Conflict Dataset (v. 1.0)

By /

“The natural resource conflict dataset code whether internal armed conflicts are clearly linked to natural resources. We acknowledge that different types of resources can serve the same purpose in a conflict, or the same type of resource can play different purposes. Thus, the conflicts in the dataset are coded according to the specific roles (if any) played by natural resources in the given conflict. The natural resource conflict dataset identifies three different mechanisms linking natural resources to conflict: (1) disagreements over natural resource (revenue) distribution may motivate rebellion, (2) revenues from natural resources may create funding opportunities for rebels, and (3) natural resources may aggravate ongoing conflict acting either as motivation or opportunity for rebels, but through other roles than as distributional claims or as funding sources.” (codebook, p. 2)

Natresconfl_v1_codebook

I/ Conflict variable
I/1/ Unit of conflict

Event (< 0 or 1 death)Conflict (< 25 deaths)War (< 100 deaths)Episode (< 500 deaths)
∅X∅∅
“We rely on the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset version 4-2007 (Gleditsch et al., 2002; Harbom, 2007; Harbom & Wallensteen, 2007), which defines a conflict as ‘a contested incompatibility that concerns government and/or territory where the use of armed force between two parties, of which at least one is the government of a state, results in at least 25 battle-related deaths‘ (Harbom, 2007: 4). […] Furthermore, a new conflict episode ‘is coded whenever a conflict restarts after one or more year(s) of inactivity or if there is a complete change of actors on the opposition side’ (Harbom, 2007: 12). According to the UCDP/PRIO codebook, conflict episodes enable ‘users to distinguish between different phases in the conflict and, potentially, code these as separate conflicts’ (Harbom, 2007: 12).
[…]
Second, in low-intensity conflicts the number of battle-related deaths may fall below the 25 battle deaths threshold for some years, even though the conflict has not really ended. To account for this we apply Gates & Strand’s (2004) coding rule, merging two accompanying conflict episodes together into one single episode if the peace period in-between is less than two years (730 days).” (codebook, pp. 2-3)

I/2/ Conflict domain

State-based conflictNon-state conflictOne-sided violenceTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅X∅
“Whereas the UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset includes four types of conflict: extra-state, interstate, internal and internationalized internal, the natural resource conflict dataset excludes the interstate and the extra-systemic wars.” (codebook, p. 2)

II/ Time variable
II/1/ Unit of time

DayYear
X∅
“Start date of conflict episode (epstartdate)
Reports the exact date when the conflict episode started (EpStartDate in UCDP/PRIO ACD).” (codebook, p. 5)
“start_date
The date, as precise as possible, of the first battle-related death in the conflict. The date is set after the conflict fulfils all criteria required in the definition of an armed conflict, except for the number of deaths. […]
Date (YYYY-MM-DD)” ([UCDP/PRIO] Armed Conflict Dataset (v. 22.1), p. 9)

II/2/ Time domain

Time domain
1946 – 2006
“1946-2006” (codebook, p. 1)

III/ Space variable
III/1/ Unit of space

CoordinatesCountryRegionTO BE DETERMINED
∅X∅∅
“Location of conflict episode (location)
Records the country where the government and/or territory is disputed. This is not necessarily the geographical location of the conflict (Location in UCDP/PRIO ACD).” (codebook, p. 5)

III/2/ Space domain

GlobalMediterranean Sea and SahelTO BE DETERMINED
X∅∅

(https://www.prio.org/data/23, 24/08/2022)

IV/ Data structure
IV/1/ Unit of observation

Unit of conflict (UC)UC-yearUC-actorCountry-year
X∅∅∅
Actor-yearDyad-yearOTHERTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅∅∅
“The observation in the UCDP/PRIO armed conflict dataset is the conflict-year. For our purpose, focusing on the conflict episode only, a cross-sectional data structure is more appropriate. As such, the natural resource conflict dataset uses a conflict episode structure. We use the Armed Conflict Dataset’s episode start (epstartdate) and end (ependdate) date variables to define when the conflict episodes occur.” (codebook, p. 2)

IV/2/ Number of observations

Number of observation
285
“With these modifications, the natural resource conflict dataset totals 285 conflict episodes (167 conflicts) in 101 countries between 1946 and 2006. The 285 episodes constitute the observations in the dataset and are identified by a unique variable for each period: conflepid.” (codebook, p. 3)

V/ All variables

Conflict nameConflict typeIntensity
X∅∅
OutcomeTimeSpace
∅XX
ActorType of actorDyad
X∅∅
CoalitionDeathsNon-conflit variables
∅∅X
“Conflict ID (acdid)
The conflict identification (ID) variable from UCDP/PRIO ACD (version 4-2007). […]
Start date of conflict episode (epstartdate)
Reports the exact date when the conflict episode started (EpStartDate in UCDP/PRIO ACD). […]
Location of conflict episode (location)
Records the country where the government and/or territory is disputed. This is not necessarily the geographical location of the conflict (Location in UCDP/PRIO ACD). […]
Government side in conflict episode (sidea)
Reports the government side of the conflict episode (SideA in UCDP/PRIO ACD).
Opposition side in conflict episode (sideb)
Reports the opposition side of the conflict episode (SideB in UCDP/PRIO ACD).” (codebook, p. 5)
“NATURAL RESOURCE CONFLICT VARIABLES” (codebook, p. 3)

VI/ Transparency
VI/1/ Sources

Intergovernmental organizationsGovernmental organizationsNon-governmental organizations
∅∅∅
Research organizationsPress mediaSocial media
∅X∅
Other databasesOTHERTO BE DETERMINED
X∅X
“Coding relied on Keesing’s World News Archive, case studies and other studies on natural resources and conflict, such as Le Billon (2001; 2005) and Ross (2003). In addition the online UCDP database and the United States Library of Congress Country Studies were used extensively. A variety of other sources were consulted for specific cases as well. See online appendix for a description of the natural resource conflicts and related sources.” (codebook, p. 3)

VI/2/ Codebook

DateVersion
06/08/20121.0
“Version 1.0
Codebook
6 August 2012” (codebook, p. 1)

Natresconfl_v1_codebook-1

VII/ Update
VII/1/ Current version

DateVersion
06/08/20121

(https://www.prio.org/data/23, 24/08/2022)

VII/2/ Regularly updated ?

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

VIII/ Access
VIII/1/ Registration ?

YESNO
∅X

VIII/2/ Formats

.XLS/.XLSX.CSV.DTA.RDTA
∅∅X∅

(https://www.prio.org/data/23, 24/08/2022)

VIII/3/ API ?

YESNOTO BE DETERMINED
∅∅X