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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 free trial credits automatically added to your account
  4. Create your first export following our getting started guide
Free Trial: Every new user gets trial credits to test the system before purchasing additional credits.
Your free trial credits allow you to test the system with various export options.Example Uses:
  • Countries export in JSON format
  • States export in JSON format
  • Format testing with different output types

View Pricing & Trial Credits

See how many trial credits you get and explore credit packages
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: +1 credit
  • CSV: +1 credit
  • XML: +2 credits
  • YAML: +2 credits
  • SQL/PostgreSQL/SQLite/SQL Server: +3 credits
Example Calculations:
Countries + States in JSON = 1 + 2 + 1 = 4 credits
Countries in CSV = 1 + 1 = 2 credits
Cities in SQL = 3 + 3 = 6 credits
All datasets in JSON = 1 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 7 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, from individual credits to value packs with significant savings.Smart Purchasing Strategy:
  • Credits never expire, so larger packages offer better value
  • Larger packs provide maximum savings for frequent users
  • Share credits across team members
  • Calculate your project needs to choose the right package

View All Credit Packages

Compare packages and find the best option for your needs
Contact us at [email protected] for enterprise needs.

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.