----------------------------Original message---------------------------- EMBARGOED UNTIL: MARCH 10, 1995 (FRIDAY) Public Information Office CB95-53 301-457-2794 301-457-4067 (TDD) Glenn King 301-457-1171 CENSUS BUREAU CD-ROM PROVIDES VAST DATABASE ON U.S. COUNTIES EMBARGOED UNTIL: MARCH 10, 1995 (FRIDAY) The Commerce Department's Census Bureau today released an extensive database on CD-ROM for the nation's 3,141 counties, containing more than 2,840 data items from the Census Bureau and 15 other federal and private agencies. Titled USA Counties 1994, the CD-ROM product comes with mapping software called Landview II. This enables users to display on their computer screens thematic maps for more than 60 data items in counties. "This is truly a unique CD-ROM product," said Glenn King, chief of the Census Bureau's Statistical Compendia Branch. "With it, reporters will be able to build quickly a statistical profile of an area to go along with a breaking news story." King also noted that the advent of government-developed Landview mapping software on the disc will offer researchers, planners, and other users a new way of visualizing statistics. Included on USA Counties 1994 are data about age, agriculture, ancestry, banking, business, construction, crime, education, elections, federal government, local government, Hispanic-origin, health, households, housing, labor force, and employment. Other data detail land area, manufactures, personal income and earnings, earnings by industry, population, poverty, retail trade, service industries, social insurance and human services, veterans, vital statistics, wholesale trade, and journey to work. Another feature of the product enables users to make comparisons between 1980 and 1990 census data sets. The data span for population stretches from 1960 to 1992; for personal income and earnings from 1969 to 1990. The long-awaited CD-ROM is a virtual electronic library of statistical data for counties, and supplements such other compendia products as the Statistical Abstract of the United States and County and City Data Book, new editions of which are scheduled for release on CD-ROM shortly. USA Counties costs $150, including shipping and handling. The Census Bureau will include a free copy of Statistical Abstract of the United States 1994 on CD-ROM when USA Counties 1994 is purchased together with County and City Data Book 1994 on CD-ROM (total price: $300). Statistical Abstract of the United States 1994, when purchased alone, costs $50. -X- Editor's note: EMBARGOED UNTIL: MARCH 10, 1995 (FRIDAY) all orders should go to the Census Bureau's Customer Services Branch: telephone: 301-457-4100; fax: 301-457-3842; or via the Census Bureau's Gopher Internet node (gopher.census.gov).