The UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics provides essential datafor analyzing and measuring world trade, investment,international financial flows and development. Reliablestatistical information is often considered as the first stepduring the preparation of making recommendations or takingdecisions that countries will commit for many years as theystrive to integrate into the world economy and improve theliving standards of their citizens. Whether it is for research,consultation or technical cooperation, UNCTAD requirescomparable, often detailed economic, demographic and socialdata, over several decades and for as many countries aspossible.
In addition to facilitating the work of the secretariat’seconomists, the UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics alsoenables other users, such as policy-makers, researchspecialists, academics, officials from national governments orinternational organizations, executive managers or members ofnongovernmental organizations (NGOs) from developing,transition or developed countries to have access to this richstatistical information. The Handbook further offers journalistscomprehensive information in a presentation that meets theirneeds.
Indeviation to earlier editions, the online edition of the Handbook(www.unctad.org/statistics/handbook) is discontinued andreplaced with a new data dissemination system UNCTADstathttps://unctadstat.unctad.org . Not like the Handbook whichcaptures statistics at one point of time, UNCTADstat will becontinuously updated, enriched and providing users with thelatest available data. In this regard, users should take cautionwhen comparing data between the Handbook andUNCTADstat, as the date of update may differ.
Particular acknowledgement is due to the Statistics Division ofthe Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the UnitedNations, as well as to other international organizations, for itshelp in preparing this publication.
