Find answers to common questions about the CSC Export Tool. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact us at [email protected].

Getting Started

Getting started is simple:
  1. Sign up at export.countrystatecity.in
  2. Choose your method: GitHub (one-click) or Email (magic link)
  3. Get 5 free credits automatically added to your account
  4. Create your first export following our getting started guide
Free Trial: Every new user gets 5 credits to test the system before purchasing additional credits.
Your 5 free credits give you several options to test the system:Option 1: Basic Testing
  • Countries export in JSON format (1 credit)
  • States export in JSON format (2 credits)
  • 2 credits remaining for format upgrades or additional exports
Option 2: Complete Dataset Test
  • Cities export in JSON format (3 credits)
  • Perfect for testing location-based features
  • 2 credits remaining for additional experiments
Option 3: Format Testing
  • Countries export in CSV format (1 + 1 = 2 credits)
  • Countries export in XML format (1 + 2 = 3 credits)
  • Total: 5 credits - Perfect fit for format comparison
Option 4: Database Ready
  • Countries export in SQL format (1 + 3 = 4 credits)
  • 1 credit remaining for testing
Need More Credits? The Starter Pack (6 credits for $2.99) gives you extra credit to fully explore all features, including:
  • All three datasets (Countries + States + Cities = 6 credits in JSON)
  • Advanced format testing
  • Multiple export combinations
Pro Tip: Use your free credits to test different combinations, then purchase the package that matches your project needs!
Export processing times depend on the dataset size and format:Typical Processing Times:
  • Countries only: 10-30 seconds
  • Countries + States: 30-60 seconds
  • All datasets: 1-3 minutes
  • SQL format: Additional 30-60 seconds for relationship processing
Factors affecting speed:
  • Dataset size (Countries < States < Cities)
  • Export format (JSON fastest, SQL slowest)
  • Number of selected fields
  • Current system load
You’ll receive a notification when your export is ready for download.

Credits & Billing

Credits are used to generate exports based on datasets and formats:Dataset Costs:
  • Countries: 1 credit (~247 countries)
  • States: 2 credits (~4,000+ states/provinces)
  • Cities: 3 credits (~150,000+ cities)
Format Costs (added to dataset cost):
  • JSON: Free (0 additional credits)
  • CSV: +1 credit
  • XML: +2 credits
  • YAML: +2 credits
  • SQL: +3 credits
Example Calculations:
Countries + States in JSON = 1 + 2 + 0 = 3 credits
Countries in CSV = 1 + 1 = 2 credits
Cities in SQL = 3 + 3 = 6 credits
All datasets in JSON = 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 credits
No, credits never expire! You can use them whenever you need to create new exports.Credit Features:
  • ✅ No expiration date
  • ✅ Use at your own pace
  • ✅ Accumulate credits across purchases
  • ✅ Transparent usage tracking
  • ✅ No hidden fees or recurring charges
Export Access:
  • Exports are available for 30 days after creation
  • After 30 days, you can renew expired exports for the same credit cost
  • This ensures you always get the most up-to-date geographical data
We use Dodo Payments for secure, encrypted transactions:Accepted Payment Methods:
  • Visa, Mastercard, American Express
  • Discover, JCB, Diners Club
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay
Payment Features:
  • 🔒 Secure SSL encryption
  • 💳 No stored payment information
  • 📧 Instant email receipts
  • 🚀 Credits added immediately
  • 🌍 International payments supported
Billing Process:
  1. Enter billing information
  2. Select credit package
  3. Complete secure payment
  4. Credits added instantly to your account
  5. Email confirmation sent
Our refund policy:Preview Before Purchase: Use our free preview feature to see exactly what your export will contain before spending credits.Refund Scenarios:
  • Technical issues: Full refund if export fails due to our system errors
  • Billing errors: Immediate refund for incorrect charges
  • Preview mismatch: Refunds not available if export matches preview
  • Changed requirements: Credits spent on completed exports are non-refundable
Prevention Tips:
  • Always use the preview feature (free) before creating exports
  • Review field selections and format choices carefully
  • Start with small test exports using trial credits
  • Contact support if you’re unsure about an export
Important: Preview your exports before confirming to ensure they meet your needs. This prevents unnecessary credit usage.
We offer flexible credit packages to suit different needs:Individual Credits:
  • Custom Credits: $1.00 per credit
  • Perfect for one-time exports or testing
Value Packages:
  • Starter Pack: 2.99for6credits(2.99 for 6 credits (0.50/credit) - 50% savings
  • Basic Pack: 4.99for10credits(4.99 for 10 credits (0.50/credit) - Most Popular
  • Standard Pack: 9.99for25credits(9.99 for 25 credits (0.40/credit) - 60% savings
  • Premium Pack: 19.99for60credits(19.99 for 60 credits (0.33/credit) - Best Value, 67% savings
Smart Purchasing Strategy:
  • Credits never expire, so larger packages offer better value
  • Premium Pack provides maximum savings for frequent users
  • Share credits across team members
  • Calculate your project needs to choose the right package
Best Value: The Premium Pack saves you 67% compared to individual credit purchases!
Contact us at [email protected] for enterprise pricing on larger volumes.

Data & Export Management

Our data is updated daily to ensure accuracy:Update Schedule:
  • Daily sync: Database updated every 24 hours
  • Source monitoring: Continuous tracking of official sources
  • Change detection: Automatic identification of updates
  • Quality assurance: Validation before publishing
Data Sources:
  • Official government databases
  • ISO country code registries
  • United Nations statistical databases
  • World Bank economic indicators
  • Geographic coordinate systems
What gets updated:
  • New countries, states, or cities
  • Population changes
  • Economic indicators (GDP, currency changes)
  • Administrative boundary changes
  • Political changes (country names, capitals)
Always Current: When you export data, you get the latest available information as of that day.
Export Download Period: 30 daysWhat happens after 30 days:
  • Export links expire (to ensure data freshness)
  • You can renew expired exports for the same credit cost
  • Renewal gives you updated data with any changes
Best Practices:
  • Download exports immediately after creation
  • Save exports locally for your project needs
  • Set reminders for important exports before they expire
  • Consider renewal if you need updated data
Renewal Benefits:
  • Same credit cost as original export
  • Updated with any data changes since original export
  • Fresh 30-day download window
  • Maintains your original field selection and format
Pro Tip: For ongoing projects, plan exports around your development schedule to maximize the 30-day access window.
Use our country filtering feature!Available Filters:
  • Country selection: Choose specific countries (US, CA, GB, etc.)
  • Region filtering: Select by region (Americas, Europe, Asia, etc.)
  • Subregion filtering: Narrow down to subregions (Northern America, Western Europe)
Benefits:
  • Reduced file sizes
  • Faster processing
  • Cleaner datasets
  • Same credit costs
Example Use Cases:
US-only States Export
{
  "filters": {
    "countries": ["US"]
  },
  "datasets": ["states"],
  "fields": ["name", "state_code", "latitude", "longitude"]
}
// Result: Only US states (50 records instead of 4,000+)
// Cost: Still 2 credits for states dataset
Available in All Formats:
  • JSON, CSV, XML, YAML, and SQL all support filtering
  • Same credit costs regardless of filtered data size
  • Filtering applied during export generation
Current Limitation: We provide current data only, not historical versions.What We Provide:
  • ✅ Most current geographical data
  • ✅ Daily updates with latest changes
  • ✅ Real-time accuracy
  • ❌ Historical snapshots not available
  • ❌ Previous versions not stored
For Historical Analysis:
  • Export and save data regularly for your own historical tracking
  • Use version control to track changes over time
  • Document important data snapshots for your projects
Future Plans: We’re considering historical data features for enterprise customers. Contact us if this is important for your use case.Workaround: Create regular exports (monthly/quarterly) and save them locally to build your own historical dataset.

Technical Questions

Each format serves different use cases and has different credit costs:
Best for: Web applications, APIs, mobile appsAdvantages:
  • Native JavaScript support
  • Nested structure preserves relationships
  • Lightweight and fast parsing
  • Perfect for REST APIs
Sample Structure:
{
  "countries": [...],
  "states": [...], 
  "metadata": {...}
}
Yes! You can combine Countries, States, and Cities in a single export:Benefits of Combined Exports:
  • ✅ Data consistency across datasets
  • ✅ Proper relationships maintained
  • ✅ Single download and processing
  • ✅ Unified timestamp and version
Cost Calculation: Combined exports sum the individual dataset costs plus format cost:
Countries (1) + States (2) + Cities (3) + CSV (1) = 7 credits total
Output Structure Examples:
JSON Combined Export
{
  "countries": [
    {
      "name": "United States",
      "iso2": "US",
      "states_count": 50,
      "cities_count": 19495
    }
  ],
  "states": [
    {
      "name": "California", 
      "country_code": "US",
      "cities_count": 1538
    }
  ],
  "cities": [
    {
      "name": "Los Angeles",
      "state_name": "California",
      "country_name": "United States"
    }
  ]
}
CSV Combined Export
# countries.csv
name,iso2,states_count,cities_count
United States,US,50,19495

# states.csv  
name,country_code,country_name,cities_count
California,US,United States,1538

# cities.csv
name,state_name,country_name,population
Los Angeles,California,United States,3971883
Integration depends on your chosen format and technology stack:Web Applications (JSON):
Frontend Integration
// Load and cache data
const geoData = await fetch('/data/export.json').then(r => r.json());

// Create lookup maps for performance
const countryMap = new Map(geoData.countries.map(c => [c.iso2, c]));
const stateMap = new Map(geoData.states.map(s => [s.state_code, s]));

// Use in components
function CountryDropdown() {
  return (
    <select>
      {geoData.countries.map(country => (
        <option key={country.iso2} value={country.iso2}>
          {country.emoji} {country.name}
        </option>
      ))}
    </select>
  );
}
Database Integration (SQL):
Database Import
# PostgreSQL
psql -d mydb -f csc_export.sql

# MySQL
mysql -u user -p mydb < csc_export.sql

# SQLite
sqlite3 mydb.db < csc_export.sql
Data Analysis (CSV):
Python/Pandas
import pandas as pd

# Load data
countries = pd.read_csv('countries.csv')
states = pd.read_csv('states.csv')

# Analysis
regional_stats = countries.groupby('region').agg({
    'population': 'sum',
    'gdp': 'mean'
})
Configuration (YAML):
Kubernetes Config
apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: geo-config
data:
  countries.yaml: |
    # CSC Export Data
    countries:
      - name: "United States"
        currency: "USD"
File sizes vary by dataset, fields selected, and format:Approximate Sizes (All Fields):
Countries Only:
  • ~247 countries: 200-300 KB
  • With all fields: 500 KB - 1 MB
Countries + States:
  • ~4,000 states: 2-4 MB
  • Compressed: 500 KB - 1 MB
All Datasets:
  • ~150,000 cities: 50-100 MB
  • Compressed: 10-20 MB
Optimization Tips:
  • Select only needed fields to reduce size
  • Use country filters for regional data
  • JSON format is generally most compact
  • ZIP compression reduces download size by 60-80%

Troubleshooting

Normal Processing Times:
  • Countries: 10-30 seconds
  • States: 30-60 seconds
  • Cities: 1-3 minutes
  • SQL format: +30-60 seconds
If your export is taking longer:Check System Status:
  1. Visit our status page for any known issues
  2. Peak usage times may cause delays (typically 9 AM - 5 PM EST)
Common Causes:
  • Large dataset (Cities with all fields)
  • Complex SQL format processing
  • High system load during peak hours
  • Network connectivity issues
What To Do:
  1. Wait patiently: Large exports genuinely take time
  2. Check your network: Ensure stable internet connection
  3. Contact support: If over 10 minutes for any export
Optimization for Future:
  • Use field filtering to reduce processing time
  • Consider JSON format for faster processing
  • Schedule large exports during off-peak hours
Status Updates: You’ll receive browser notifications when your export is ready, even if you close the tab.
Common Download Issues:Browser Issues:
  • Try a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
  • Disable browser extensions temporarily
  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Check if popup blockers are interfering
Network Issues:
  • Check your internet connection
  • Try downloading on a different network
  • Use a VPN if experiencing regional restrictions
  • Restart your router/modem
File Size Issues:
  • Large files may timeout on slow connections
  • Try using a download manager for large files
  • Consider splitting large exports into smaller ones
Account Issues:
  • Ensure you’re logged into the correct account
  • Check if the export has expired (30-day limit)
  • Verify you have permission to download
Quick Fixes:
  1. Refresh the page and try again
  2. Right-click and “Save Link As” instead of direct click
  3. Try incognito/private browsing mode
  4. Contact support with your export ID
Export Expiration: Downloads are only available for 30 days. After that, you’ll need to renew the export.
This should not happen - exports should exactly match previews. If you experience this:Immediate Steps:
  1. Don’t panic - we’ll resolve this quickly
  2. Take screenshots of both preview and actual export
  3. Note the export ID (found in your export history)
  4. Contact support immediately at [email protected]
Information to Include:
  • Export ID and timestamp
  • Screenshots of preview vs actual data
  • Browser and operating system details
  • Specific fields or records that don’t match
Our Response:
  • Investigation: We’ll investigate the discrepancy immediately
  • Resolution: Bug fixes are prioritized and deployed quickly
  • Compensation: Credit refund if the issue was on our end
  • Prevention: System improvements to prevent recurrence
Temporary Workaround: If you need the correct data urgently, create a new export and we’ll refund the credits for the incorrect one.
Quality Guarantee: Preview accuracy is fundamental to our service. We take these issues very seriously.
Common Error Types:“Insufficient Credits” Error:
  • Cause: Not enough credits for the selected configuration
  • Solution: Purchase additional credits or reduce export scope
  • Prevention: Check credit requirements before confirming
“Field Selection Required” Error:
  • Cause: No fields selected for export
  • Solution: Select at least one field from each chosen dataset
  • Prevention: Review field selections before proceeding
“Export Processing Failed” Error:
  • Cause: Server-side processing issue
  • Solution: Try again in a few minutes, contact support if persistent
  • Prevention: Avoid very large exports during peak hours
“Invalid Format Combination” Error:
  • Cause: Certain formats may not support specific field combinations
  • Solution: Try a different format or adjust field selection
  • Prevention: Use preview to validate before creating
Browser/Network Errors:
  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Disable browser extensions temporarily
  • Try a different network or browser
  • Check if JavaScript is enabled
Steps to Resolve:
  1. Try again: Many errors are temporary
  2. Simplify: Reduce fields or datasets to isolate the issue
  3. Switch browsers: Rule out browser-specific issues
  4. Contact support: Include error message and export configuration
Bug Reports: Send bug reports to: [email protected]Include the Following:
  • Detailed description of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce the problem
  • Browser and operating system details
  • Screenshots or error messages
  • Export ID if applicable
Feature Requests: Send feature requests to: [email protected]Popular Feature Requests:
  • Historical data snapshots
  • API access for automated exports
  • Bulk export operations
  • Custom field calculations
  • Advanced filtering options
  • Team collaboration features
Our Response Time:
  • Bug reports: Within 24 hours
  • Feature requests: Reviewed monthly
  • Critical issues: Same day response
  • Enhancement updates: Quarterly releases
Community Feedback:
  • Join our community forum for discussions
  • Vote on feature requests
  • Share use cases and success stories
  • Connect with other users

Still Need Help?

Email Support

[email protected]General questions, technical issues, and billing inquiries
Response Time: We typically respond to all inquiries within 24 hours. Enterprise customers receive priority support with faster response times.