Catalog

Statistical Appendix

Statistical Notes

The statistical appendix presents selected economic indicators for 44 developing Asian economies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a total of 23 tables. The economies are grouped into five subregions: Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Most of the tables contain historical data for 2003 to 2007; some have forecasts for 2008 and 2009.

The data were standardized to the degree possible in order to allow comparability over time and across economies, but differences in statistical methodology, definitions, coverage, and practices make full comparability impossible. The national income accounts section is based on the United Nations System of National Accounts, while the balanceof- payments data are based on International Monetary Fund (IMF) accounting standards. Historical data were obtained from official sources, statistical publications and databases, and documents of ADB, IMF, and World Bank. Projections for 2008 and 2009 are generally staff estimates made on the basis of available quarterly or monthly data, although some projections are from governments.

Most countries report on a calendar-year basis. Some economies record their government finance data on a fiscal year basis, such as: Armenia; Azerbaijan; Hong Kong, China; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyz Republic; Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR); Samoa; Taipei,China; Tajikistan; Thailand; Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (hereafter Timor-Leste); and Uzbekistan. Republic of Palau (hereafter Palau) reports government finance and balance-of-payments data on a fiscal year basis. South Asian countries (except for Maldives and Sri Lanka) report all variables on a fiscal year basis.

Regional and subregional averages/totals are provided for nine tables (A1, A2, A8, A10, A11, A12, A13, A14, and A15). For tables A1, A2, A8, and A15, the averages are computed using weights derived from levels of gross national income (GNI) in current United States dollars (US$) following the World Bank Atlas method. The GNI data for 2003–2006 were obtained from the World Bank's World Development Indicators online. Weights for 2006 were carried over through 2009. The GNI data for Cook Islands and Tuvalu were estimated using the Atlas conversion factor. Myanmar and Nauru have no GNI data. For tables A10 and A12, the regional and subregional averages were computed on the basis of a consistent sum, which means that if there are missing country data for a given year, the sum of the prior year used for computing the growth rate excludes the corresponding country data. Data for Myanmar and Nauru are excluded from the computation of all subregional averages/totals.

Tables A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, and A7. These tables show related data on output growth, production, and demand. Changes to the national income accounts series for some countries have been made owing to a change in source or methodology. The series for Bhutan, for example, now reflects fiscal rather than calendar year data. The series for Timor-Leste, previously reflecting non-oil GDP, is now based on non-oil, non-United Nations GDP. The series for Kiribati, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga have been revised due to a change in data sources.

Table A1: Growth rate of GDP (% per year). The table shows annual growth rates of GDP valued at constant market prices, factor costs, or basic prices. GDP at market prices is the aggregation of the value added of all resident producers at producers' prices including taxes less subsidies on imports plus all nondeductible value-added or similar taxes. Constant factor cost measures differ from market price measures in that they exclude taxes on production and include subsidies. Basic price valuation is the factor cost plus some taxes on production, such as property and payroll taxes, and less some subsidies, such as labor-related subsidies but not product-related subsidies. Most countries use constant market price valuation. Fiji Islands, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka use constant factor costs, while Maldives and Nepal use basic prices.

Table A2: Growth rate of per capita GDP (% per year). The table provides the growth rates of real per capita GDP, which is defined as GDP at constant prices divided by the population. The series for most of the Pacific countries were revised due to a change in source of population data. Data on per capita gross national product in US$ terms for 2006, sourced from the World Bank, World Development Indicators online, are also shown. Per capita GNP for Cook Islands and Tuvalu are estimated based on derived GNI data.

Table A3: Growth rate of value added in agriculture (% per year). The table shows the growth rates of value added in agriculture and its corresponding share in 2006. The agriculture sector comprises agricultural crops, livestock, poultry, fisheries, and forestry.

Table A4: Growth rate of value added in industry (% per year). The table provides the growth rates of value added in industry and its corresponding share in 2006. This sector comprises manufacturing, mining and quarrying, construction, and utilities. However, construction in Uzbekistan is included in the services sector.

Table A5: Growth rate of value added in services (% per year). The table gives the growth rates of value added in services, as well as its corresponding share in 2006. Subsectors generally include trade, banking, finance, real estate, public administration, and other services.

Table A6: Unemployment rate (%). The unemployment rate is the percentage of the labor force that actively seeks work but is unable to find work at a given time. The age of the working population ranges from 15 to 65, except for Bangladesh where the labor force covers those aged 10 and above. The unemployment rates of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Viet Nam refer to unemployment in urban areas only.

Table A7: Gross domestic investment (% of GDP). This table provides the ratio of gross domestic investment (GDI) to GDP. GDI is the sum of gross fixed capital formation plus changes in inventories. Gross fixed capital formation is measured by the total value of a producer's acquisitions, less disposals, of fixed assets in a given accounting period. Additions to the value of nonproduced assets, e.g., land, form part of gross fixed capital formation. Inventories are stocks of goods held by institutional units to meet temporary or unexpected fluctuations in production and sales. For India, GDI includes valuables and errors and omissions.

Table A8: Inflation (% per year). Data on inflation rates represent period averages. Except for India, which reports the wholesale price index, inflation rates presented are based on consumer price indexes. The consumer price indexes of the following countries are for a given city or group of consumers only: Afghanistan is for Kabul, Cambodia is for Phnom Penh, Marshall Islands is for Majuro, Solomon Islands is for Honiara, and Nepal is for urban consumers.

Table A9: Growth in money supply (% per year). This table tracks the annual percentage change in the end-of-period supply of broad money as represented by M2 (for most countries). M2 is defined as the sum of M1 and quasi-money where M1 denotes currency in circulation plus demand deposits and quasi-money consists of time and savings deposits including foreign currency deposits.

Tables A10, A12, A13, A14, A15, and A16: Balance of payments. This set of tables shows selected international economic transactions of countries as recorded in the balance of payments (BOP). These items cover annual flows, except for some countries which show data as of a specified period only. The series for Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands have been revised due to a change in data sources.

Tables A10 and A12: Growth rates of merchandise exports and imports (% per year). The annual growth rates of exports and imports, in terms of merchandise goods only, are shown in these tables. Data are in million US$, primarily obtained from the balance-of-payments accounts of each country. Exports are reported on a free-on-board (f.o.b.) basis. Import data are generally reported on an f.o.b. basis, except for Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, and Thailand, which value them on a cost, insurance, freight (c.i.f.) basis.

Table A11: Direction of exports (% of total). This table shows the exports of developing Asian economies. Data are sourced from IMF, Direction of Trade and Statistics, CD-ROM (January 2008), except for Taipei,China, which were sourced from CEIC Data Company, Ltd. This table shows the percentage share of exports of each economy to other economies in developing Asia excluding the PRC; PRC only; US; Japan; European Union (EU); and others (or rest of the world). Exports to the rest of the world are derived as total exports to the world minus exports among themselves, and to US, Japan, and EU.

Table A13: Trade balance (US$ million). The trade balance is the difference between merchandise exports and merchandise imports. Figures in this table are based on the exports and imports levels used to generate Tables A10 and A12.

Table A14: Current account balance (US$ million). The current account balance is the sum of the balance of trade for merchandise, net trade in services and factor income, and net transfers. In the case of Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam, official transfers are excluded from the current account balance.

Table A15: Current account balance (% of GDP). The values reported in Table 14 are divided by GDP at current prices in US$.

Table A16: Foreign direct investment (US$ million). Foreign direct investment refers to equity capital, reinvested earnings, investment in debt securities, and other capital associated with the transactions of the enterprises, net of repatriations and intercompany loan repayments. For the PRC, foreign direct investment refers to investments of foreign enterprises, economic organizations, and individuals through joint ventures and cooperation; reinvested earnings; and enterprises' borrowings from abroad under approved investment projects. The 2007 data for Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia cover only the first 3 quarters of the year, while those for Tajikistan refer to the first 2 quarters. The 2007 data for India are estimated based on growth of foreign investment inflows in April–December.

Table A17: External debt outstanding (US$ million). For most economies, external debt outstanding—public and private—includes medium- and long-term debt, short-term debt, and IMF credit. For Cambodia and Lao PDR, only public external debt is reported. For Azerbaijan; India; Kyrgyz Republic; Philippines; Singapore; and Taipei,China the figures for 2007 are as of end-September.

Table A18: Debt service ratio (% of exports of goods and services). This table generally presents the total debt service payments of each economy, which comprise principal repayments (excluding on short-term debt) and interest payments on outstanding external debt, as a percentage of exports of goods and services. For Cambodia and Lao PDR, debt service refers to external public debt only. For Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam, exports of goods are used as the denominator in the calculation of the ratio; for the Philippines, exports of goods, services, and income are used as the denominator. For Bangladesh, the ratio represents debt service payments on medium- and long-term loans as a percentage of exports of goods, nonfactor services, and workers' remittances; while for Azerbaijan, the ratio represents public and publicly guaranteed external debt service payments as a percentage of exports of goods and nonfactor services.

Table A19: Exchange rates to the US dollar (annual average). The annual average exchange rates of each economy are quoted in local currencies per US dollar. The rate for 2007 for India is for the period 1 April 2007–14 March 2008.

Table A20: Gross international reserves (US$ million). Gross international reserves are defined as the US$ value of holdings of foreign exchange, special drawing rights (SDR), reserve position in the IMF, and gold at the end of a given period. For Turkmenistan, gold is excluded in the computation. For Marshall Islands; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Taipei,China; Tonga; and Vanuatu, this heading refers to foreign exchange reserves only. In some countries, the rubric comprises foreign assets and reserves of national monetary authorities and national oil funds, i.e., foreign assets of the Maldives Monetary Authority, net foreign reserves of the State Bank of Pakistan, assets of the National Oil Fund of Azerbaijan, and official external assets of Kiribati. The 2007 data for India are as of 14 March 2008 only, while those for Tajikistan are as of end-October.

Tables A21, A22, and A23: Government finance. This set of tables refers to the revenue and expenditure transactions as well as the fiscal balance of the central government expressed as a percentage of GDP in nominal terms. For Cambodia (since 2006), PRC, India, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan, transactions are those reported by the general government; for Taipei,China, by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics. The series for Cook Islands, Kiribati, Timor-Leste, and Tuvalu reflects revised data due to a change in source. For the Republic of Korea, government revenues exclude social security contributions.

Table A21: Central government expenditures (% of GDP). Central government expenditures comprise all nonrepayable payments to both current and capital expenses, plus net lending. These amounts are computed as a share of GDP at current prices. For Singapore, expenditures refer to outlays made from the Consolidated Revenue Account, Development Fund Account, and Sinking Fund Account plus lending minus repayments. For Thailand, expenditures refer to budgetary expenditures excluding externally financed expenditures and corresponding borrowing; while that for Tajikistan includes externally financed public investment programs. One-time expenditures are excluded for Pakistan.

Table A22: Central government revenues (% of GDP). Central government revenues comprise all nonrepayable receipts, both current and capital, plus grants. These amounts are computed as a percentage of GDP at current prices. For the Republic of Korea, revenues incorporate the repayment on government-guaranteed debts but exclude social security contributions. For Singapore, revenues refer to receipts credited to the three accounts listed for the previous table, including investment income, capital receipts, and investment adjustments. Grants are excluded in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand; revenues from disinvestment are included for India; only current revenues are included for Bangladesh; and grants and privatization proceeds are excluded for Sri Lanka. For Cambodia, the proceeds of the IMF debt relief program are reflected in their revenues for 2006.

Table A23: Fiscal balance of central government (% of GDP). Fiscal balance is the difference between central government revenues and expenditures. The difference is also computed as a share of GDP at current prices. Data variations may arise due to statistical discrepancies, e.g., balancing items for both central and local governments, and differences in the concept used in the individual computations of revenues and expenditures as compared with the calculation of the fiscal balance. For Thailand, the fiscal balance is a cash balance composed of the budgetary and nonbudgetary balances. Some off-budget accounts are included in the computation of the fiscal balance for Turkmenistan.