File Types and Names

Distribution Files

Survey datasets are distributed as compressed .ZIP files. A distribution .ZIP file contains multiple working files which generally include a data file, various data definition files, and other documentation. This page includes instructions on how to work with distribution .ZIP files. The video below provides a quick introduction to DHS datasets.

On this page
Distribution File Naming Convention
Country Codes
Data File Type Codes
Data Version Codes
File Format Codes
Data Structure Codes  

Working Files

The types of "working files" that are contained in each distributed .ZIP file include a data file, various data definitions, and other documentation. The exact type of files that are included will vary depending on the associated data type and file format.

Working files must be extracted from the distributed .ZIP file.  The files can be extracted using PKUNZIP, Winzip, or other data compression software. You can download the Winzip Evaluation Version for free.

Types of Working Files
Examples of Working File Types

Distribution File Naming Convention

An individual .ZIP file is distributed for each dataset type (e.g. household, women, men, children, couples, etc.) and file format (e.g. hierarchical, flat, SPSS, SAS, Stata.) Each .ZIP distribution file is uniquely named with a standard naming convention. The video below provides guidance to new users understanding the standard naming conventions used in our downloadable datasets. 

Dataset files are named according to the following convention: [CC][DD][VV][FF][DS].ZIP

Code Description:
[CC] Country Code
[DD] Dataset Type (e.g. HR-Household, PR-Household Member, IR-Women, MR-Men, BR-Births, KR-Children under 5, and CR-couples)
[VV] Dataset Version (First Character - DHS Phase) (Second Character - Release version)
[FF] File Format (eg. FL-Flat, SV-SPSS, DT-Stata, SD-SAS)
[DS] Data Structure for SPA (SR: SPA Recode | SP: SPA Raw)

Example:
To give an example of how distribution files for a survey are organized, the following table shows the available files, along with the names that they are given for the Kenya 2003 DHS survey.

Kenya 2003 DHS Survey
  ASCII File Types Software-Specific Data File Types
Unit of Analysis Hierarchical Flat SAS SPSS Stata
Households   KEHR42FL.ZIP KEHR42SD.ZIP KEHR42SV.ZIP KEHR42DT.ZIP
Household Members   KEPR42FL.ZIP KEPR42SD.ZIP KEPR42SV.ZIP KEPR42DT.ZIP
Women KEIR42.ZIP KEIR42FL.ZIP KEIR42SD.ZIP KEIR42SV.ZIP KEIR42DT.ZIP
Men KEMR42.ZIP KEMR42FL.ZIP KEMR42SD.ZIP KEMR42SV.ZIP KEMR42DT.ZIP
Births   KEBR42FL.ZIP KEBR42SD.ZIP KEBR42SV.ZIP KEBR42DT.ZIP
Children   KEKR42FL.ZIP KEKR42SD.ZIP KEKR42SV.ZIP KEKR42DT.ZIP
Couples   KECR42FL.ZIP KECR42SD.ZIP KECR42SV.ZIP KECR42DT.ZIP
HIV Test Results KEAR42.ZIP KEAR42FL.ZIP KEAR42SD.ZIP KEAR42SV.ZIP KEAR42DT.ZIP


The following reference tables contain the descriptions for the four different types of filename codes (country, data type, data version, and file format).
 

Country Codes (includes India State Codes) - [CC]DDVVFFDS.ZIP

CC: Country Code Description
 
Code Country Name Code Country Name
AF Afghanistan LB Liberia
AL Albania MD Madagascar
AO Angola MW Malawi
AM Armenia MV Maldives
AZ Azerbaijan ML Mali
BD Bangladesh MR Mauritania
BJ Benin MX Mexico
BO Bolivia MB Moldova
BT Botswana MA Morocco
BR Brazil MZ Mozambique
BF Burkina Faso MM Myanmar
BU Burundi NM Namibia
KH Cambodia NP Nepal
CM Cameroon NC Nicaragua
CV Cape Verde NI Niger
CF Central African Republic NG Nigeria
TD Chad OS Nigeria (Ondo State)
CO Colombia PK Pakistan
KM Comoros PY Paraguay
CG Congo PE Peru
CD Congo Democratic Republic PH Philippines
CI Cote d'Ivoire RW Rwanda
DR Dominican Republic WS Samoa
EC Ecuador ST Sao Tome and Principe
EG Egypt SN Senegal
ES El Salvador SL Sierra Leone
EK Equatorial Guinea ZA South Africa
ER Eritrea LK Sri Lanka
ET Ethiopia SD Sudan
GA Gabon SZ Swaziland
GM Gambia TJ Tajikistan
GH Ghana TZ Tanzania
GU Guatemala TH Thailand
GN Guinea TL Timor-Leste
GY Guyana TG Togo
HT Haiti TT Trinidad and Tobago
HN Honduras TN Tunisia
IA India TR Turkey
ID Indonesia TM Turkmenistan
JO Jordan UG Uganda
KK Kazakhstan UA Ukraine
KE Kenya UZ Uzbekistan
KY Kyrgyz Republic VN Vietnam
LA Lao People's Democratic Republic YE Yemen
LS Lesotho ZM Zambia
    ZW Zimbabwe
India States
 
Code State Name Code State Name
AP Andhra Pradesh AR Arunachal Pradesh
AS Assam BH Bihar
DL Delhi GJ Gujarat
GO Goa HP Himachal Pradesh
HR Haryana JM Jammu
KA Karnataka. KE Kerala
MG Meghalaya MH Maharastra
MN Manipur MP Madhya Pradesh
MZ Mizoram NA Nagaland
OR Orissa PJ Punjab
RJ Rajasthan TN Tamil Nadu
TR Tripura UP Uttar Pradesh
WB West Bengal SK Sikkim

Data File Types - CC[DD]VVFFDS.ZIP

DD: Data File Types
 
Data Type Description Category
AI Accidents and Injuries Recode Household survey recode
BR Births Recode Household survey recode
CR Couples' Recode Household survey recode
GR Pregnancies Recode Household survey recode
HR Household Recode Household survey recode
IR Individual Recode Household survey recode
KR Children's Recode Household survey recode
MR Men's Recode Household survey recode
NR Pregnancy and Postnatal Care Recode Household survey recode
PR Household Member Recode Household survey recode
SR Siblings Recode Household survey recode
XR Child Under 5 Recode Household survey recode
AH Adult Health Household survey raw
BQ Births Raw Household survey raw
CH Children's Raw Household survey raw
CP Couples' Raw Household survey raw
EX Experimental Household survey raw
FW Fieldworker Questionnaire Household survey raw
HH Household Raw Household survey raw
HW Height and Weight Scores - WHO Child Growth Standards Household survey raw
ID In-depth Household survey raw
IH Individual/Household Raw Household survey raw
IQ Individual Raw Household survey raw
ML Men's Raw Household survey raw
OD Other Data Household survey raw
PQ Household Member Raw Household survey raw
SM Safe Motherhood Household survey raw
SQ Service Availability Raw Household survey raw
VA Verbal Autopsy Household survey raw
WI Wealth Index Household survey raw
WS Women's Status Household survey raw
XP Expenditure Household survey raw
AR HIV Test Results Recode HIV/Other biomarkers
HT HIV Test Results Raw HIV/Other biomarkers
OB Other Biomarkers HIV/Other biomarkers
GC Geospatial Covariates GIS
GE Geographic Data GIS
AN Antenatal Care Facility survey/SPA
AT ART Facility survey/SPA
CL Unit Check List Facility survey/SPA
CN Consultations Facility survey/SPA
CS Country Specific Facility survey/SPA
CT VCT Facility survey/SPA
FC Facility Facility survey/SPA
FP Family Planning Facility survey/SPA
IN Safe Injection Facility survey/SPA
IP Inpatient Unit Facility survey/SPA
LB Laboratory Facility survey/SPA
LD Labor Delivery Facility survey/SPA
MS Health Information System Facility survey/SPA
OI Outpatient/inpatient Facility survey/SPA
OP Outpatient Unit Facility survey/SPA
PH Pharmacy Facility survey/SPA
PI Personal Interview Facility survey/SPA
PM PMTCT Facility survey/SPA
PV Provider Facility survey/SPA
SC Sick Child Facility survey/SPA
SI Sexually Transmitted Infections Facility survey/SPA
SL Staff/Provider Listing Facility survey/SPA
TB TB data Facility survey/SPA
CO Community Community survey
VR Village Recode Community survey

Data Versions - CCDD[VV]FFDS.ZIP

VV: Version Number
 
Version No. Description
Phase 1
0(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-I

00 - Release version 0
01 - Release version 1
02 - Release version 2
03 - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 2
2(0- 9) First survey conducted under DHS-II

20 - Release version 0
21 - Release version 1
22 - Release version 2
23 - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 3
3(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-III

30 - Release Version 0
31 - Release version 1
32 - Release version 2
33 - Release version 3
[...]
3(A - H) Second survey conducted under DHS-III

3H - Release Version 0
3A - Release version 1
3B - Release version 2
3C - Release version 3
[...]
3(I - Q) Third survey conducted under DHS-III

3Q - Release Version 0
3I - Release version 1
3J - Release version 2
3K - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 4
4(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-IV

40 - Release Version 0
41 - Release version 1
42 - Release version 2
43 - Release version 3
[...]
4(A - H) Second survey conducted under DHS-IV

4H - Release Version 0
4A - Release version 1
4B - Release version 2
4C - Release version 3
[...]
4(I - Q) Third survey conducted under DHS-IV

4Q - Release Version 0
4I - Release version 1
4J - Release version 2
4K - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 5
5(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-V

50 - Release Version 0
51 - Release version 1
52 - Release version 2
53 - Release version 3
[...]
5(A - H) Second survey conducted under DHS-V

5H - Release Version 0
5A - Release version 1
5B - Release version 2
5C - Release version 3
[...]
5(I - Q) Third survey conducted under DHS-V

5Q - Release Version 0
5I - Release version 1
5J - Release version 2
5K - Release version 3
[...]
5(R - Z) Fourth survey conducted under DHS-V

5Z - Release version 0
5R - Release version 1
5S - Release version 2
5T - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 6
6(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-VI

60 - Release Version 0
61 - Release version 1
62 - Release version 2
63 - Release version 3
[...]
6(A - H) Second survey conducted under DHS-VI

6H - Release Version 0
6A - Release version 1
6B - Release version 2
6C - Release version 3
[...]
6(I - Q) Third survey conducted under DHS-VI

6Q - Release Version 0
6I - Release version 1
6J - Release version 2
6K - Release version 3
[...]
6(R - Z) Fourth survey conducted under DHS-VI

6Z - Release version 0
6R - Release version 1
6S - Release version 2
6T - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 7
7(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-VII

70 - Release Version 0
71 - Release version 1
72 - Release version 2
73 - Release version 3
[...]
7(A - H) Second survey conducted under DHS-VII

7H - Release Version 0
7A - Release version 1
7B - Release version 2
7C - Release version 3
[...]
7(I - Q) Third survey conducted under DHS-VII

7Q - Release Version 0
7I - Release version 1
7J - Release version 2
7K - Release version 3
[...]
7(R - Z) Fourth survey conducted under DHS-VII

7Z - Release version 0
7R - Release version 1
7S - Release version 2
7T - Release version 3
[...]
Phase 8
8(0 - 9) First survey conducted under DHS-VIII

80 - Release Version 0
81 - Release version 1
82 - Release version 2
83 - Release version 3
[...]
8(A - H) Second survey conducted under DHS-VIII

8H - Release Version 0
8A - Release version 1
8B - Release version 2
8C - Release version 3
[...]
8(I - Q) Third survey conducted under DHS-VIII

8Q - Release Version 0
8I - Release version 1
8J - Release version 2
8K - Release version 3
[...]
8(R - Z) Fourth survey conducted under DHS-VIII

8Z - Release version 0
8R - Release version 1
8S - Release version 2
8T - Release version 3
[...]

File Formats - CCDDVV[FF]DS.ZIP

FF: Format of the Data

Format Code
Description
__ Hierarchical (no format indicator)
FL Flat Data File
SV SPSS Data File
DT Stata Data File
SD SAS Data File

Data Structures - CCDDVVFF[DS].ZIP

DS: Data Structure for SPA Surveys 

Structure Code
Description
SP SPA Raw Data
SR SPA Recode Data


Types of Working Files

The following reference table lists the types of working files that are included in a distributed dataset .ZIP file, depending of the data format.

XXX: File Extension

File Extension Description Flat ASCII File Hierarchical File SPSS Data File SAS Data File Stata Data File Notes
.DAT ASCII data file YES YES



.DCF Dictionary file for use with CSPro YES YES


not in all files
.DCT Stata dictionary file (syntax) YES




.DO Stata syntax file YES




.DOC Microsoft word document with country information YES YES YES YES YES
.DTA STATA system file



YES
.FRQ Unweighted frequency distribution (open with a text editor) YES YES YES YES YES
.FRW Weighted frequency distribution (open with a text editor) YES YES YES YES YES
.MAP File layout or codebook (open with a text editor) YES YES YES YES YES
.SAS SAS data description file (syntax) YES




.SAV SPSS system file

YES


.SAS7BDAT    SAS system file


YES

.SPS SPSS data description file (syntax) YES




Please note that the .DOC file is only present in the Individual Recode(IR) and Men's Recode(MR) files.

Examples of Working File Types

Using the Kenya 2003 MEASURE DHS+ as an example, the following table shows the Individual Recode files distributed for each file format.

Kenya 2003 MEASURE DHS+
Hierarchical Data (KEIR41) Flat ASCII Data (KEIR41FL) SPSS Data File (KEIR41SV) SAS Data File (KEIR41SD) Stata Data File (KEIR41DT)
n/a n/a SPSS data file (.SAV) SAS data file (.SAS7BDAT) Stata data file (.DTA)
ASCII data file (.DAT) ASCII data file (.DAT) n/a n/a n/a
Dictionary file for use with CSPro (.DCF) Dictionary file for use with CSPro (.DCF) n/a n/a n/a
n/a Stata dictionary file (.DCT) n/a n/a n/a
n/a Stata syntax file (.DO) n/a n/a n/a
n/a SAS data description file (syntax) (.SAS) n/a n/a n/a
n/a SPSS data description file (syntax) (.SPS) n/a n/a n/a
File layout or codebook (.MAP)*
Unweighted frequency distribution (.FRQ)*
Weighted frequency distribution (.FRW)*
Microsoft word document with country information (.DOC)

* .MAP, .FRQ and .FRW files may be opened using an ASCII text editor, such as Notepad.

Download Datasets

The DHS Program is authorized to distribute, at no cost, unrestricted survey data files for legitimate academic research. Registration is required for access to data.

Guide to Using Datasets