Statistical Databases: International Trade by Commodity Statistics

International Trade by Commodity Statistics Online Database

The ITCS database set is a unique and reliable source of yearly statistical data on imports and exports of OECD countries and selected non-OECD countries (China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong), as well as of the OECD main country groupings. It provides detailed data in value (thousands USD) - and in some cases quantity - broken down by partner country (virtually all partner countries are included) and commodity.

ITCS contains trade by commodity data broken down  according three different  commodity classifications used and the length of the time series:

• SITC Revision 2 (Standard International Trade Classification Revision 2, 1976) - data from 1961 onwards;
• SITC Revision 3 (Standard International Trade Classification Revision 2, 1986) - data from 1991 onwards;
• Harmonised System - data from 1990/1996 onwards;

International Trade by Commodity
Statistics - SITC Revision 2

OECD gives the imports and exports of its Member countries in values (thousands of US dollar) and in quantities, broken down by type of commodity and by partner country. Data are classified according to the SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) or HS (Harmonised system) classification.

Since 1988, OECD receives annual foreign trade data according to HS or in a more desegregated level. Data are then converted into SITC Rev. 3 and Rev. 2. From 1988, data may be obtained according to SITC Rev. 2, SITC Rev. 3 or HS Rev. 1. However, it should be noted that if it is easily feasible to convert data from a recent revision to an older one, the conversion from SITC Rev. 2 to SITC Rev. 3 is quite delicate, if not impossible. Consequently, to obtain a consistent time series, one should carefully choose which revision to use. This is why from 1961 to 1990 data are only available in SITC Rev. 2.

The SITC has been regularly revised to take into account the structural changes of the market according to the appearance of new commodities and the need of more detailed statistics on some commodity groups. Three versions of SITC exist. Two versions are available on CD-ROM, namely: ITCS SITC Rev. 2 and ITCS SITC Rev. 3.

The first revision (Rev. 1) was introduced in 1960. The second (Rev. 2) containing 2582 products was introduced and adopted by most Member countries in 1978. The third revision (Rev. 3) which contains 4346 products, has been used from 1988 onwards, except the United States and Turkey which have adopted data in Rev. 3 only from 1989 onwards.

The CD-ROMs contain trade data as reported by OECD Member countries detailing exports and imports with all partner countries worldwide. Data is also presented for China, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong-China. The subscription includes a historical CD-ROM set at the beginning of the subscription period showing annual trade data for all OECD Countries starting in 1991. Each subsequent quarterly edition provides data for a few OECD countries starting in 1991 but including an additional reporting year. The 2002 subscription is adding 2001 data.

Visit the Trade web site for more information.

International Trade by Commodity
Statistics - SITC Revision 3

OECD gives the imports and exports of its Member countries in values (thousands of US dollar) and in quantities, broken down by type of commodity and by partner country. Data are classified according to the SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) or HS (Harmonised system) classification.

Since 1988, OECD receives annual foreign trade data according to HS or in a more desegregated level. Data are then converted into SITC Rev. 3 and Rev. 2. From 1988, data may be obtained according to SITC Rev. 2, SITC Rev. 3 or HS Rev. 1. However, it should be noted that if it is easily feasible to convert data from a recent revision to an older one, the conversion from SITC Rev. 2 to SITC Rev. 3 is quite delicate, if not impossible. Consequently, to obtain a consistent time series, one should carefully choose which revision to use. This is why from 1961 to 1990 data are only available in SITC Rev. 2.

The SITC has been regularly revised to take into account the structural changes of the market according to the appearance of new commodities and the need of more detailed statistics on some commodity groups. Three versions of SITC exist. Two versions are available on CD-ROM, namely: ITCS SITC Rev. 2 and ITCS SITC Rev. 3.

The first revision (Rev. 1) was introduced in 1960. The second (Rev. 2) containing 2582 products was introduced and adopted by most Member countries in 1978. The third revision (Rev. 3) which contains 4346 products, has been used from 1988 onwards, except the United States and Turkey which have adopted data in Rev. 3 only from 1989 onwards.

The CD-ROMs contain trade data as reported by OECD Member countries detailing exports and imports with all partner countries worldwide. Data is also presented for China, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong-China. The subscription includes a historical CD-ROM set at the beginning of the subscription period showing annual trade data for all OECD Countries starting in 1991. Each subsequent quarterly edition provides data for a few OECD countries starting in 1990 but including an additional reporting year. The 2002 subscription is adding 2001 data.

Visit the Trade web site for more information.

International Trade by Commodity
Statistics - Harmonized System

OECD gives the imports and exports of its Member countries in values (thousands of US dollar) and in quantities, broken down by type of commodity and by partner country. Data are classified according to the SITC (Standard International Trade Classification) or HS (Harmonised system) classification.

Since 1988, OECD receives annual foreign trade data according to HS or in a more desegregated level. Data are then converted into SITC Rev. 3 and Rev. 2. From 1988, data may be obtained according to SITC Rev. 2, SITC Rev. 3 or HS Rev. 1. However, it should be noted that if it is easily feasible to convert data from a recent revision to an older one, the conversion from SITC Rev. 2 to SITC Rev. 3 is quite delicate, if not impossible. Consequently, to obtain a consistent time series, one should carefully choose which revision to use. This is why from 1961 to 1990 data are only available in SITC Rev. 2. HS is a more detailed classification with 6-digit subheadings, even when SITC has 5-digit headings.

An official version of the HS, was instituted in 1988 (Rev. 1). The HS has been revised in 1996 (Rev. 2) to take into account new trends in the composition of international trade. The HS is broken down by chapter (two-digit), by heading (four-digit) and by subheading (6 digit) with 6873 products.

SITC Rev. 3 was developed in 1988 in the same way as the HS. This is why SITC Rev. 3 follows the structure of the HS, so that the smallest SITC units are defined by HS subheadings.

The database contains trade data as reported by OECD Member countries detailing exports and imports with all partner countries worldwide. Data is also presented for China, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong-China.

The 2002 and newer edtions of the Harmonized data are now using the Harmonized System from 1996 (Revision 2 of the Harmonized System) and data reporting starts in 1996.

Visit the Trade web site for more information.