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UN Comtrade Help Center

UN Comtrade Help Center

  • UN Comtrade website

Getting Started

  • Welcome to UN Comtrade
  • Read Me First (Disclaimer)
  • Use Cases
  • How to Access UN Comtrade data?
  • Subscription Plans
  • UN Comtrade Data Processing and Dissemination Pipeline
  • Policy on use and re-dissemination
  • Premium Subscribers
  • How to create an account
  • Acquiring API Subscription Keys
  • Who do we contact for support?
  • Can I book a demo of the UN Comtrade platform?

FAQ

  • Policy on use and re-dissemination
  • FAQs on Use and Re-dissemination
  • List of References & Parameter Codes
  • Exports from one country may not always align perfectly with the imports of its trading partners.
  • Bilateral asymmetries
  • Issues with UN Comtrade Website?
  • Annual totals vs sum of monthly data
  • Can I book a demo of the UN Comtrade platform?
  • Why are some converted datasets not accessible in the UI?
  • What is “SITC LTS”?
  • Why does the commodity description for some HS codes differ slightly from the official WCO version?
  • Trade valuation
  • How to Access UN Comtrade data?
  • Mode of Transport and Trade Routes
  • Does UN Comtrade provide buyer/supplier-level data?
  • How should I interpret and use quantity data in UN Comtrade?
  • What is bulk file download?
  • How do I use wildcards to query data?
  • How to use UN Comtrade via World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)
  • What are the data sources for UN Comtrade?
  • Which new data items have been added to UN Comtrade datasets?
  • How to retrieve data for “World” exports to a country in UN Comtrade?
  • What is data preview?
  • What is data delivery?
  • Conversion factors and current/constant value
  • Supplementary Quantity Units
  • Are 6-digit commodity codes included in 4-digit commodity codes or are they separate?
  • Reported and Converted Data: Commodity Conversion Issues
  • Premium Trial Subscription
  • Who do we contact for support?
  • Showcases in Visualization Labs

Premium

  • Premium Subscribers
  • UN Comtrade Tools
  • Menu: Bulk Files

Metadata

  • Seaborne Trade Estimates – Archive
  • Country nomenclature and groupings
  • Historical Data 1900-1960 on IMTS
  • Correlation between ISIC and SITC codes (or Commodity and Industry)
  • Conversion factors and current/constant value
  • Which new data items have been added to UN Comtrade datasets?
  • What are the data sources for UN Comtrade?
  • Supplementary Quantity Units
  • Reporters and Partners
  • Taiwan, Province of China Trade Data
  • Data Conversion
  • Intermediate Goods in Trade Statistics
  • HS 2017 code 3002.19 and HS 2022 code 3822.19
  • HS 2007 code 2916.36
  • Monetary and Non-Monetary Gold in Trade Classifications (SITC, HS)
  • Areas not elsewhere specified
  • Why are China’s re-imports so high?
  • Second Partner Country
  • UN Comtrade and UNData
  • Tariffline product code description
  • Shuttle Trade
  • Trade with itself
  • Reporter country codes and their custom areas
  • Reported and Converted Data: Commodity Conversion Issues
  • Quantity unit information in detailed level data
  • Data Confidentiality in UN Comtrade
  • EU in UN Comtrade
  • Definition of luxury goods
  • Exports from one country may not always align perfectly with the imports of its trading partners.
  • Changes in trade reporting practices of countries with colonies
  • Reporting Period – Calendar Year
  • Measurement of iron trade, specifically in used cars
  • Leasing of aircraft – financial leasing
  • Hong Kong trade with China
  • Historical data on International Merchandise Trade Statistics (1900-1960)
  • Free Zones and Bunkers
  • Food provided on airlines – Transportation Services
  • Country Codes
  • China: Data availability before 1984
  • Italy: Change in Statistical Territory

Definitions

  • Trade valuation
  • Bilateral asymmetries
  • Special Trade System
  • Modes of Supply
  • Economic Territory and Statistical Territory
  • Distinction between Exports and Re-exports / Imports and Re-imports

Do more

  • UN Comtrade Tools
  • Developer tools for UN Comtrade Data

User Guide

  • How to create an account
  • Home page
  • Menu: Data
  • Menu: Data Availability
  • Menu: Bulk Files
  • Menu: Metadata
  • UN Comtrade Tools
  • UN Comtrade API
  • Showcases in Visualization Labs
  • Premium Trial Subscription
  • What is data preview?
  • What is data delivery?
  • What is tariffline data?
  • How to query data
  • How do I use wildcards to query data?
  • Downloading all data by period
  • How to use UN Comtrade via World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)

Methodology and Manuals

  • Concepts and definitions of International Merchandise Trade Statistics
  • Concepts and definitions of Statistics of International Trade in Services
  • UN Comtrade Data Processing and Dissemination Pipeline
  • Compilation Methodology
  • Historical Data 1900-1960 on IMTS
  • IMTS Publication List
  • HS, SITC, BEC conversion and correspondence tables
  • Quantity and Weight Data in UN Comtrade

Trade in Services

  • Negative values in trade in services
  • Modes of Supply
  • EBOPS 2002: Extended Balance of Payments Services Classification
View Categories
  • Home
  • Docs
  • Getting Started
  • Welcome to UN Comtrade

Welcome to UN Comtrade

2 min read

The UN COMTRADE Database is maintained by the DESA/UN Statistics Division. It provides detailed import and export statistics for goods and services reported by the statistical authorities of nearly 200 countries and areas since 1962. With tens of billions of data points, it is regarded as the most comprehensive online trade database. Users can access information on imports and exports of goods and services.

If you are new to UN Comtrade, we recommend starting with our Getting Started guide and User Guide. These resources will guide you through the basics, including how to create your account and how to search and download data, among others.

Key Features #

  • Expanded Data Breakdown: Includes trade value in CIF and FOB, quantity in secondary unit codes, and gross weight. Moreover, tariff line data is publicly available.
  • More Parameters: Supports additional options, including mode of transport, 2nd partner country, customs procedure codes, and more trade flows.
  • Premium Subscription Services: Includes bulk data and delivery download for millions of records.
  • Data API: More powerful data, data availability, metadata API options for better reliability and scalability, and a built-in developer portal.
  • Data Availability Dashboard: Provides information on recently collected and released datasets, highlighting trending data users seek on UN Comtrade.
  • Labs: Offers innovative and experimental data visualizations subscribers create using UN Comtrade data.
  • Custom Groupings: Allows users to summarize detailed trade data by creating custom groupings.
  • Search Saving Options: Registered users can save their search criteria and parameters for future reference.
  • Large Dataset Notifications/Asynchronous Requests: Data extraction runs in the background, and when complete, subscribers receive an email notification with a link to download the dataset.
  • Mobile-Friendly Features: Data tables are transformed into data cards for easier viewing and sharing on mobile devices.
  • Single Sign-On: Users can log in to UN Comtrade using selected single sign-on providers, eliminating the need to create a new account or password.
  • Diverse Data Viewing Options: Includes dashboards, recent releases, time series, and detailed views to suit various needs.
  • UN Comtrade Docs: A documentation site covering various topics to help users maximize the use of our platform.

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Table of Contents
  • Key Features
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