This paper presents the 2015 yearbook of the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS). Quarterly issues of this publication provide, for about 160 countries, tables with current data (or estimates) on the value of imports from and exports to their most important trading partners. In addition, similar summary tables for the world, industrial countries, and developing countries are included. The yearbook provides, for the most recent seven years, detailed trade data by country for approximately 184 countries, the world, and major areas. The information on exports and imports by trading partners that countries report to the Fund varies in terms of frequency and currentness. In order to provide guidance regarding the sources of the figures for individual countries, figures in the country, world, and area pages are shown with symbols to the right of the figure. Country pages include lines for all partner countries that have been reported, estimated, or extrapolated.

This paper presents the 2015 yearbook of the Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS). Quarterly issues of this publication provide, for about 160 countries, tables with current data (or estimates) on the value of imports from and exports to their most important trading partners. In addition, similar summary tables for the world, industrial countries, and developing countries are included. The yearbook provides, for the most recent seven years, detailed trade data by country for approximately 184 countries, the world, and major areas. The information on exports and imports by trading partners that countries report to the Fund varies in terms of frequency and currentness. In order to provide guidance regarding the sources of the figures for individual countries, figures in the country, world, and area pages are shown with symbols to the right of the figure. Country pages include lines for all partner countries that have been reported, estimated, or extrapolated.

The 2016 yearbook issue of Direction of Trade Statistics provides, for about 160 countries, tables with current data (or estimates) on the value of imports from and exports to their most important trading partners. In addition, similar summary tables for the world, industrial countries, and developing countries are included. Reported data are supplemented by estimates whenever such data are not current or are not available in monthly frequency. Country pages include lines for all partner countries that have been reported, estimated, or extrapolated. It is sometimes assumed that corresponding export and import data between partner countries should be consistent. As a result of reporting and processing lags, trade data for a given period are often released before all customs documents for the period have been processed. These data are sometimes not revised, or, if data are revised, errors are nevertheless made in assigning the date on which goods are shipped or received and the late data are assigned to the wrong month, quarter, and/or year.

This issue of Direction of Trade Statistics Quarterly provide, for about 160 countries, tables with current data (or estimates) on the value of imports from and exports to their most important trading partners. The quarterly issues, yearbook, and CD-ROM of the Direction of Trade Statistics present, for most member countries of the IMF, current figures on the value of merchandise exports and imports disaggregated according to their most important trading partners. Aggregates for the World table are calculated as the sum of aggregates from the tables for the Advanced Economies and Emerging and Developing Economies. The information on exports and imports by trading partners that countries report to the IMF varies in terms of frequency and currentness. When information is not reported and is inadequate to support the estimation techniques, the data are extrapolated using a matrix of trade among broad country groups. No estimates, however, are compiled for periods prior to 1981 or based on benchmark data referring to 1980 or earlier.