University of Toronto. Data Library Service

Title: Direction of trade statistics

Series title: Direction of trade statistics

Principal investigator(s): International Monetary Fund. Statistics Department

Producer: Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Statistics Department

Date of creation: varies

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Collector:

Depositor:

Distributor: Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund, Publication Services

Date of distribution: varies

Access conditions/restrictions: University of Toronto faculty, students, and staff, for academic research and teaching only.

Summary: The quarterly issues, yearbook, and CD-ROM of the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS) present, for most member countries of the International Monetary Fund (the Fund), current figures on the value of merchandise exports and imports disaggregated according to their most important trading partners. The quarterly issues (DOTSQ) present current figures for about 158 countries. The yearbook (DOTSY) presents, for 182 countries, figures on the value of merchandise exports and imports by trade partners for the years 1999 through 2005. The CD-ROM presents the same information as DOTSY from 1980 onwards for annuals/quarters and months. Area and world aggregates showing trade flows between major areas of the world are presented in DOTSQ, DOTSY and the CD-ROM. Reported data are supplemented by estimates whenever such data are not current or are not available in monthly frequency.

World and area tables present (1) world aggregates comprising all countries, including about 26 small countries for which individual country tables are not presented in the quarterly issues, (2) industrial country aggregates derived from the figures for the 23 countries classified as industrial countries, (3) developing countries aggregates and subgroups, namely, Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Western Hemisphere, and (4) European Union aggregates. Aggregates for the World table are calculated as the sum of aggregates from the tables for the Industrial Countries and Developing Countries. It also includes trade of countries comprising the group "other countries n.i.e." and data for a country or area not specified and for "special categories".

Geographic coverage: international, ca 182 countries

Time period: 1980 - [latest].

Periodicity: monthly, quarterly, annual

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Data type: aggregate time-series

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Mode of data collection: process-produced

Extent of file: 1 data file per month (number of logical records varies) & accompanying documentation

Citation: International Monetary Fund. Direction of trade statistics, [month] [year] ed. [computer file]. Washington DC: International Monetary Fund [producer and distributor], 2008-03

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