The Natural Resource Conflict Dataset

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.