> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.humdata.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.humdata.org/about/about-the-humanitarian-data-exchange.md).

# About the Humanitarian Data Exchange

The [Humanitarian Data Exchange](https://data.humdata.org/) (HDX) is an open platform for sharing data across crises and organizations. Launched in July 2014, the goal of HDX is to make humanitarian data easy to find and use. HDX has been accessed by millions of users in over 250 countries and territories and brings together more than 20,000 datasets from [hundreds of partners](https://data.humdata.org/organization).&#x20;

<div align="left" data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="/files/y8oXxnaMTQMfjKqHRUGS" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>HDX Dataset Downloads 2019-2025</p></figcaption></figure></div>

\
HDX is managed by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA) [Centre for Humanitarian Data](https://centre.humdata.org/?_gl=1*1u84lq0*_ga*ODMyMTMwODUuMTc0NDAyOTA2Nw..*_ga_E60ZNX2F68*czE3NTg4MTM1MjAkbzE2NCRnMSR0MTc1ODgxNDI0OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.#), which is located in The Hague, the Netherlands. OCHA is responsible for coordinating humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. The HDX team spans North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

We define humanitarian data as:

* data about the context in which a humanitarian crisis is occurring
* data about the people affected by the crisis and their needs
* data about the response by organizations and people seeking to help those who need assistance<br>

Learn more about the impact of HDX [here](https://centre.humdata.org/category/impact-story/). A selection of stories are below:

* [How HDX and Sauti East Africa are Putting Data in People’s Hands](https://centre.humdata.org/how-hdx-and-sauti-east-africa-are-putting-data-in-peoples-hands/)
* [OCHA And Meta: Partnering To Give Humanitarians Open Access To Population Data](https://centre.humdata.org/ochas-partnership-with-meta-helps-find-people-in-need/)
* [HDX Signals: Alerting Humanitarians to Deteriorating Crises](https://centre.humdata.org/hdx-signals-alerting-humanitarians-to-deteriorating-crises/)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.humdata.org/about/about-the-humanitarian-data-exchange.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
