This working paper presents a new database covering an extensive set of countries from all over the world, compiled by the BBVA Foundation and the Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas (Ivie) using the methodology developed in Pérez García et al. (2005).

It also updates the database previously presented in the above-mentioned monograph corresponding to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The new database comprises an unbalanced panel of 78 countries for the period 1970-2005, the same period covered by the OECD database. This working paper describes the theoretical and empirical methodology on which the measure of social capital is based. Finally, we include an appendix with the new series.