We work to ensure the numbers add up to inform and improve policy recommendations
Reliable statistical information – statistics and indicators used in the analysis of international trade, investment and development – is indispensable for the formulation of sound economic policies and recommendations. This, in turn, is essential to fostering social and economic development.
UNCTAD compiles, validates and processes a wide range of data collected from national and international sources. Most time-series data cover extended periods of time, with some dating back to 1948, for almost all the economies of the world.
This allows the analysis of emerging and urgent issues within a framework of long-lasting tendencies and wide geographical scope. In case of missing data or a break in series, UNCTAD applies its expertise and methodology to make estimates. Such continuity together with accurateness and timeliness are the pillars of UNCTAD’s statistics.
Our statistics are grounded in continuity, accuracy and timeliness. UNCTAD’s statistical work also conforms to the United Nations principles governing international statistical activities, formulated with significant contributions from us. It is supported by the UNCTAD Statistics Quality Assurance Framework.
UNCTAD produces more than 150 indicators and statistical time series essential for the analysis of international trade, economic trends, foreign direct investment, external financial resources, population and labour force, commodities, the information economy and maritime transport.
News
Featured Podcast
Dirty money: How it undermines the global economy and how we can fix it
Development and globalization: facts and figures
Development and Globalization: Facts and Figures 2021 is dedicated to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as their contribution and vulnerabilities will be key aspects of the discussion during our UNCTAD15 conference hosted by Barbados.
Statistics and the SDGs
The purpose of the SDG Pulse is to highlight recent trends in sustainable development and UNCTAD’s work to support the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
Development and Globalization: Facts and Figures 2016 is dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goals that were adopted by the United Nations in September 2015 (2030 Agenda Declaration).
Explore UNCTAD statistics in our data centre, compare key indicators from countries all over the world in our Country Profiles and discover a selection of key facts in our infrographic library.
Handbook of Statistics
The UNCTAD Handbook of Statistics provides users with access to internationally comparable sets of data, in addition to facilitating the work of the UNCTAD secretariat.
The Handbook also presents a summary overview of the statistical time series available from UNCTADstat.
hbs.unctad.org
Projects
Featured publications
Bulletins
These bulletins are designed to provide regular (monthly, quarterly, annual) overview of the evolution for a selection of topics and indicators.
Fact sheets
These fact sheets are designed to provide a short summary overview for a selection of topics or an introduction to a selection of indicators. The topic factsheets are typically taken from the Handbook of Statistics where accompanying tables can be found.
Inter-agency initiatives
In cooperation with UN agencies and other partners organizations, UNCTAD works to coordinate a wide variety of capacity development initiatives, helping national statistical offices and systems to improve their data collection, and statistical production and dissemination, and also to develop the international statistical system.
Conceptual framework for the statistical measurement of illicit financial flows
This publication is a joint initiative by UNODC and UNCTAD. This groundbreaking framework sets out for the first time the scope or boundaries of illicit financial flows for statistical purposes.
English | Français | Español | Русский
How Covid-19 is changing the world: a statistical perspective
The report is the product of cooperation between 36 international organizations, under the aegis of the Committee of the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA).
Gender and Trade
"Assessing the Impact of Trade Agreements on Gender Equality: Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement"
A new study by UNCTAD, UN Women, the European Union and ILO examines the impact of trade agreements on gender equality and women's economic empowerment.
SDG Trade Monitor
Track down the progress made in the area of international trade toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals with this free analytical portal.
Events and meetings
Documents and publications
