The Commodity Yearbook (in two volumes), contains statistics on trade, production and consumption of commodities, as well as special tables showing the most important exporting and importing countries, the shares of regions in commodity trade, the share of commodity exports in GDP and total exports, commodity prices and instability indices for prices, degree of processing in developing countries and commodity export dependence. The time series include data for 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995-2000.
The classification of countries and territories by region has been adopted for statistical convenience only, and follows that employed by the Statistical Division of the United Nations. Three main regions are defined: developed countries, developing countries and Eastern Europe. For developed and developing countries, the main regions have been further subdivided to provide additional information. The exact composition of each region is shown in section V of the general notes.
It is hoped that the Yearbook will be of practical use to governments, industry, universities and other research institutions with an interest in international commodity issues.
General comments by users of the Yearbook, and specific suggestions as to improvements that might be made, are welcome and should be addressed to:
The Division on International Trade in
Goods and Services, and Commodities,
UNCTAD
