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UNCTAD Statistics

Statistics is an inherent part of UNCTAD. Being the United Nations' focal point for the integrated treatment of trade and development and the interrelated issues in the areas of finance, technology, investment and sustainable development, UNCTAD compiles, validates and processes a wide range of data collected from national and international sources. Most of the time series cover long periods, with some dating back to 1948, for almost all economies of the world.
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Statistics at a glance

Developing economies continue to gain global export share of goods and services in 2012

The preliminary figures show that developing economies continue to gain global exports shares (goods and services, Balance of Payment basis, current US dollars) by reaching unprecedented rise in 2012 and now it stands at 42%. Nevertheless, the growth rate in the same period decreased to 4%, which is much lower than average of 19% in the preceding 2010-2011 years. Furthermore, Africa's share in the world exports of goods and services remained at the same level (3%), while developing Asia continued to increase steadily over the last years reaching 33%

Developing economies' share and growth rates of goods and services exports, 2005-2012

Source: UNCTADstat

The downward trends of primary commodities prices in 2012 (excluding fuel) seriously impacted the export performance of its major exporters, registering2.5% decrease. On the contrary, the major exporters of petroleum and gas did quite well with 5.0% increase. Nevertheless, developing economies' share in the world trade continues to improve. They now hold 44.4% of the global exports market, while in 2005 that share stood at 36.2%.

Access to data:

Trade in goods and services, BOP basis

Published: 8 May 2013

News

01 May 2013New maritime transport indicator added to UNCTADstat

A new maritime transport indicator for world seaborne trade by types of cargo and country groups has been added to UNCTADstat statistical portfolio.

25 April 2013New competitive indicators added to UNCTADstat: Nominal and real effective exchange rate indices

The effective exchange rate is an indicator to grasp country's international competitiveness in terms of its foreign exchange rates that cannot be understood by examining only individual exchange rates between the country's currency and other currencies. The term "effective" means that exchange rate changes are not measured against one particular currency, but instead use an average index of a whole basket of currencies, each weighted according to the issuing countries' respective importance as a trade partner.

10 April 2013Services exports grew by 2% globally in 2012

Developing economies services trade continued to grow, while developed countries recorded a slight decrease. According to preliminary estimates by UNCTAD and WTO, world services exports grew by modest 2% in 2012. All regions except Africa experienced a much lower growth than in 2011.

22 March 2013World commercial services exports grew by 3% in the fourth quarter of 2012

According to preliminary estimates by the WTO and UNCTAD, in the fourth quarter of 2012, world exports of commercial services grew by 3 %, as compared with the same quarter of the year before. The estimates point to a modest, but certain recovery of global services trade at the end of the year, after 2% decline recorded in the third quarter. Preliminary figures (balance-of-payments basis, current prices) indicate that the observed growth was led by Asia and Oceania (8%) and Northern America (5%). At the same time, Europe's services exports remained stagnant, at the level of exports recorded for the last 3 months of 2011.

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