UN Comtrade

UN Comtrade is a global trade data platform maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division, under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. It provides free access to detailed international merchandise trade statistics, covering both annual and monthly data for over 200 countries and territories. The database aggregates trade flows by product (using the Harmonized System, HS classification) and by trading partner, allowing users to explore exports and imports at various levels of granularity, from broad commodity groups to specific six-digit or ten-digit codes. Users can retrieve data through multiple interfaces. The Quick Search tool enables instant lookups of total trade values; for example, one can view annual exports of all HS commodities from all countries to the world in a selected year with a single click. The Advanced Search page offers more refined parameters, such as specifying individual HS codes, selecting specific reported countries and partners, choosing a trade flow direction (exports, imports, re-exports, etc.), setting a date range, and filtering by customs procedure codes or currency. Results are displayed in tables that can be sorted, filtered, and downloaded. For large-scale data needs, the Bulk Download feature—available with a premium subscription—allows users to download millions of records at once. The platform also provides a Data Availability section that shows which countries and years have complete or partial data, helping researchers assess coverage gaps. A Metadata Survey describes the sources, methods, and definitions used in compiling each country’s statistics, ensuring transparency and comparability. The User Guide explains how to navigate the site, interpret data codes, and use the various tools effectively. Additionally, the