Mid-year update to the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2010
The world economy continued to improve in the first half of 2010, leading to a slight upward revision in the United Nations outlook for global growth. The pace of the recovery is too weak, however, to close the global output gap left by the crisis. The recovery is also uneven across countries. While growth prospects for some developing countries are encouraging, economic activity is lacklustre in developed economies and below potential elsewhere in the developing world.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/wess/wesp.html
Download: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/wess/wesp2010files/wesp10update.pdf
Webcast: http://webcast.un.org/ramgen/ondemand/pressconference/2010/pc100526am1.rm
Child Adoption: Trends and Policies
This is the first study of DESA’s Population Division that provides a solid foundation for furthering research on child adoption and, more specifically, on the demographic factors that shape the demand for and availability of adoptable children. The focus of this report is on the nexus between adoption policies and trend at the national and global levels. Understanding adoption policies and their origins is all the more important today because, as adoption has become global, inconstancies among the legal principals and traditions regarding adoption in different countries are increasingly coming to the fore.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/population/
Statistical compilations
Monthly Bulletin of Statistics and MBS Online
The Monthly Bulletin of Statistics presents current economic and social statistics for more than 200 countries and territories of the world. It contains over 50 tables of monthly and/or annual and quarterly data on a variety of subjects illustrating important economic trends and developments, including population, prices, employment and earnings, energy, manufacturing, transport, construction, international merchandise trade and finance.
Vol. LXIV – No. 4, April 2010
Quarterly features in this issue:
12. Earnings in manufacturing, by sex
33. Construction of new buildings
38. Total exports and imports by regions: volume and unit value indices and terms of trade
For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mbs
2006 Industrial Commodity Statistics Yearbook Volumes I and II
This Yearbook provides statistics on the production of about 600 major industrial commodities. Data are provided for a ten-year period and for approximately 200 countries and territories. The commodities have been selected on the basis of their importance in world production and trade.
This edition of the Yearbook is the second one to provide data on the value of industrial production, in addition to quantities of industrial production that have been the scope of previous editions of the Yearbook. The Yearbook is therefore organized in two volumes: Volume I: Physical Quantity Data and Volume II: Monetary Value Data.
The publication contains three annexes to assist the user: an index of commodities in alphabetical order; a table of correspondence among the CPC-based commodity codes and the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), Rev. 3.1, the Harmonized System (HS) 2002 and Prodcom 2002; and a list of Prodcom codes and definitions that are referenced in footnotes used in this publication.
For more information: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/pubs/gesgrid.asp?id=418
To order: https://unp.un.org/Details.aspx?pid=19188
Discussion papers
Monthly Briefing on the World Economic Situation and Prospects
The May issue states that economic recovery continues albeit unevenly. While growth is rapid in many emerging economies, it remains fragile in most advanced economies. Euro zone countries and the IMF agreed on a three-year programme worth $146 billion to support Greece amidst drastic fiscal austerity measures and risks of contagion to other European economies. An additional stabilization scheme worth $930 billion was subsequently made available for the euro zone.
For more information: http://www.un.org/esa/policy/publications/dpad_wespmbn.html
Databases
Population, Resources, Environment and Development database
The Population, Resources, Environment and Development database (PRED 2009) is available on CD-ROM. The PRED database contains data series dealing with various aspects of population, labour force, education, economic and social development, land, water and energy use. It also provides the texts of selected international treaties and conventions related to major environment and development issues.
The 120 variables in the CD-ROM include regional, sub-regional and national data over time for 230 countries and regions. The population data are those produced by the United Nations Population Division. Other data were provided by various United Nations agencies and programmes as well as other research centres and non-governmental organisations.
To browse: http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/PRED2009/pred2009.htm
