A consortium of researchers dedicated to improving the understanding of the human causes and consequences of terrorism

START releases Global Terrorism Database 2016 data

START’s flagship Global Terrorism Database has been updated to include information on more than 170,000 terrorist attacks worldwide, 1970-2016.

START has maintained the GTD since 2001. Its data, which ranges back to 1970, is open-source and free for public viewing and usage.

In the data collection process, researchers follow strict criteria for event classification as a terrorist attack. The violent event must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious or social goal; must have evidence that it was intended to convey a message to an audience outside of the victims; and must be targeted towards non-combatants.