All the trade and tariff data can be downloaded free of charge from the WTO web site’s statistics page (www.wto.org/statistics), which has been redesigned so that data can be selected by trade category (merchandise or services), tariffs or by information source (e.g. databases and publications).

The statistics reveal that world merchandise exports increased by 5 per cent in 2011 in volume terms. The United States remains the world’s biggest trader (in value terms), with imports and exports totalling US$ 3,746 billion in 2011. China and Germany rank second and third respectively. Exports of commercial services grew by 11 per cent in value terms. The United States is the world’s largest trader, with US$ 976 billion of services trade in 2011.

International Trade Statistics 2012 provides a comprehensive overview of world trade up to the end of 2011, covering merchandise trade by product and services trade by category. Through the use of extensive charts and maps, the publication illustrates noteworthy trends in global trade with links to numerous tables containing more detailed data. A methodological chapter explains how the data is compiled while an appendix illustrates historical trends.

The publication serves as an invaluable reference tool for researchers, policy makers and anyone interested in international trade.  It is available first in electronic format with a print version to follow in November. Data can be downloaded from the WTO web site in Excel and pdf formats and from the searchable database. PDF versions of the entire report in English, French and Spanish are now available on the web site.

To further improve the quality of the publication, we invite you to provide your feedback by filling in the ITS 2012 Survey.

World Tariff Profiles — a joint publication of the WTO, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) — provides comprehensive tariff information on all WTO members and a number of other countries where data is available. It is the only compilation of tariff information of its kind available to researchers and negotiators.

The publication summarizes the market access that each country offers to imports as well as the market access conditions faced by its products in its major export markets. The profiles show both the maximum tariff rates that are legally “bound” in the WTO and the rates that countries actually apply.

The World Tariff Profiles 2012 includes new technical annex tables on the implementation of WTO members’ scheduled commitments under the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA), based on notifications supplied. The tables cover domestic support, tariff quotas, recourse to Article 5 of the AoA (special agricultural safeguard ) and export subsidies.

PDF versions of World Tariff Profiles 2012 in English, French and Spanish can be downloaded from the WTO web site. The statistical tables are also available in Excel format. In addition, updated Tariff Profiles can be found in the WTO Statistics Database.

Trade Profiles 2012 provides the latest information on trade flows and the trade policy measures of WTO members, observers and other selected economies. With information for each of these provided in a standardized format, the publication is a quick reference tool for anyone looking for essential trade statistics.

The data provided include basic economic indicators (such as gross domestic product or GDP), trade policy indicators (such as tariffs, import duties, the number of disputes, notifications outstanding and contingency measures in force), merchandise trade flows (broken down by broad product categories and major origins and destinations), services trade flows (with a breakdown by major components) and industrial property indicators. With one page devoted to each economy, Trade Profiles offers a concise overview of global trade. PDF versions of the publication in English, French and Spanish can be downloaded from the WTO web site.

Printed versions of World Tariff Profiles and Trade Profiles as well as International Trade Statistics will be available in November in English, French and Spanish and can be ordered from the WTO bookshop.

The WTO Statistics web page also contains updates of Tariff Analysis Online and Tariff Downloads plus new versions of World and Regional Export Profiles (a PDF snapshot of 2011 merchandise exports globally and by region) and World Commodity Profiles (a PDF snapshot of 2011 merchandise exports and imports for total merchandise trade, agriculture, fuels and mining and manufactured products). Services profiles will be updated by the end of 2012.

Visitors to the WTO web site may also consult world maps allowing for comparison between countries or customs territories using data of your choice. Options include:

• trade per capita
• trade to GDP ratio
• tariff binding coverage
• MFN tariffs, simple average, final bound
• MFN tariffs, simple average, applied
• MFN tariffs, trade weighted average, applied
• services sectors with GATS commitments
• outstanding notifications in the WTO Central Registry
• merchandise exports
• merchandise imports
• commercial services exports
• commercial services imports

In most cases the data are displayed as a “heat map”. Clicking on a country or territory on the map gives more data. Trade flows (such as merchandise imports and exports) are indicated with arrows.