A country is considered to be commodity export dependent when more than 60 per cent of its total merchandise exports are composed of commodities. Given that commodity dependence can have a negative impact on a country’s economic development, it is important to monitor the evolution of such dependence in countries throughout the world.
In particular, detailed statistics on commodity dependence provide an invaluable tool for a comprehensive analysis of its causes and consequences and contribute to the policy debate about measures necessary to address it in the short and long term.