The UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics provides essential data for analysing and measuring world trade, investment, international financial flows and development. Reliable statistical information is often considered as the first step during the preparation of making recommendations or taking decisions that countries will commit for many years as they strive to integrate into the world economy and improve the living standards of their citizens. Whether it is for research, consultation or technical cooperation, UNCTAD requires comparable, often detailed economic, demographic and social data, over several decades and for as many countries as possible.
In addition to facilitating the work of the secretariat’s economists, the UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics also enables other users, such as policymakers, research specialists, academics, officials from national governments or international organizations, executive managers or members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from developing, transition or developed countries to have access to this rich statistical information. The Handbook further offers journalists comprehensive information in a presentation that meets their needs.
This publication is available in printed copy and DVD. Moreover, the underlying data of the Handbook are available online at UNCTADstat. Unlike the Handbook, which captures statistics at one point of time, UNCTADstat is continuously updated, enriched and providing users with the latest available data. In this regard, users should use caution when comparing data between the Handbook and UNCTADstat, as the date of update may differ.
In this edition of the Handbook, the presentation of data for trade in services by service category has changed. Table 5.2 now includes statistics for selected country groups, in addition to those on main exporters and importers among individual economies, by service category.
To provide better and more relevant statistics to users, you are invited to fill up the feedback questionnaire on the last page or you can send your comments directly to statistics@unctad.org.
