Tables

The tables are numbered by section and display the identifying icon of the section. Countries and economies are listed alphabetically (except for Hong Kong, China, which appears after China). Data are shown for 152 economies with populations of more than 1 million, as well as for Taiwan, China, in selected tables. Table 1.6 presents selected indicators for 56 other economies—small economies with populations between 30,000 and 1 million and smaller economies if they are members of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) or, as it is commonly known, the World Bank. The term country, used interchangeably with economy, does not imply political independence, but refers to any territory for which authorities report separate social or economic statistics. When available, aggregate measures for income and regional groups appear at the end of each table.

     Indicators are shown for the most recent year or period for which data are available and, in most tables, for an earlier year or period (usually 1990 in this edition). Time-series data are available on the World Development Indicators CD-ROM and in WDI Online.

     Known deviations from standard definitions or breaks in comparability over time or across countries are either footnoted in the tables or noted in About the data. When available data are deemed to be too weak to provide reliable measures of levels and trends or do not adequately adhere to international standards, the data are not shown.

Aggregate measures for income groups
The aggregate measures for income groups include 208 economies (the economies listed in the main tables plus those in table 1.6) wherever data are available. To maintain consistency in the aggregate measures over time and between tables, missing data are imputed where possible. The aggregates are totals (designated by a t if the aggregates include gap-filled estimates for missing data and by an s, for simple totals, where they do not), median values (m), weighted averages (w), or simple averages (u). Gap filling of amounts not allocated to countries may result in discrepancies between subgroup aggregates and overall totals. For further discussion of aggregation methods, see Statistical methods.

Aggregate measures for regions
The aggregate measures for regions include only low- and middle-income economies (note that these measures include developing economies with populations of less than 1 million, including those listed in table 1.6).

     The country composition of regions is based on the World Bank’s analytical regions and may differ from common geographic usage. For regional classifications, see the map on the inside back cover and the list on the back cover flap. For further discussion of aggregation methods, see Statistical methods.


Statistics

Data are shown for economies as they were constituted in 2003, and historical data are revised to reflect current political arrangements. Exceptions are noted throughout the tables.

     Additional information about the data is provided in Primary data documentation. That section summarizes national and international efforts to improve basic data collection and gives information on primary sources, census years, fiscal years, and other background. Statistical methods provides technical information on some of the general calculations and formulas used throughout the book.

Data consistency and reliability
Considerable effort has been made to standardize the data, but full comparability cannot be assured, and care must be taken in interpreting the indicators. Many factors affect data availability, comparability, and reliability: statistical systems in many developing economies are still weak; statistical methods, coverage, practices, and definitions differ widely; and cross-country and intertemporal comparisons involve complex technical and conceptual problems that cannot be unequivocally resolved. Data coverage may not be complete because of special circumstances or for economies experiencing problems (such as those stemming from conflicts) affecting the collection and reporting of data. For these reasons, although data are drawn from the sources thought to be most authoritative, they should be construed only as indicating trends and characterizing major differences among economies rather than offering precise quantitative measures of those differences. Discrepancies in data presented in different editions of World Development Indicators reflect updates by countries as well as revisions to historical series and changes in methodology. Thus readers are advised not to compare data series between editions of World Development Indicators or between different World Bank publications. Consistent time-series data for 1960–2003 are available on the World Development Indicators CD-ROM and in WDI Online.

     Except where otherwise noted, growth rates are in real terms. (See Statistical methods for information on the methods used to calculate growth rates.) Data for some economic indicators for some economies are presented in fiscal years rather than calendar years; see Primary data documentation. All dollar figures are current U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated. The methods used for converting national currencies are described in Statistical methods.

Country notes

China. On July 1, 1997, China resumed its exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, and on December 20, 1999, it resumed its exercise of sovereignty over Macao. Unless otherwise noted, data for China do not include data for Hong Kong, China; Taiwan, China; or Macao, China.

Democratic Republic of Congo. Data for the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo, Dem. Rep., in the table listings) refer to the former Zaire. (The Republic of Congo is referred to as Congo, Rep., in the table listings.)

Czech Republic and Slovak Republic. Data are shown whenever possible for the individual countries formed from the former Czechoslovakia—the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.

Eritrea. Data are shown for Eritrea whenever possible, but in most cases before 1992 Eritrea is included in the data for Ethiopia.

Germany. Data for Germany refer to the unified Germany unless otherwise noted.
Serbia and Montenegro. On February 4, 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro.

Timor-Leste. On May 20, 2002, Timor-Leste became an independent country. Data for Indonesia include Timor-Leste through 1999 unless otherwise noted.

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In 1991 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics came to an end. Available data are shown for the individual countries now existing on its former territory (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan). External debt data presented for the Russian Federation prior to 1992 are for the former Soviet Union. The debt of the former Soviet Union is included in the Russian Federation data after 1992 on the assumption that 100 percent of all outstanding external debt as of December 1991 has become a liability of the Russian Federation. Beginning in 1993 the data for the Russian Federation have been revised to include obligations to members of the former Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and other countries in the form of trade-related credits amounting to $15.4 billion as of the end of 1996.

República Bolivariana de Venezuela. In December 1999 the official name of Venezuela was changed to República Bolivariana de Venezuela (Venezuela, RB, in the table listings).

Republic of Yemen. Data for the Republic of Yemen refer to that country from 1990 onward; data for previous years refer to aggregated data for the former People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen and the former Yemen Arab Republic unless otherwise noted.

Changes in the System of National Accounts
World Development Indicators uses terminology in line with the 1993 United Nations System of National Accounts (SNA). For example, in the 1993 SNA gross national income (GNI) replaces gross national product (GNP). See About the data for tables 1.1 and 4.9.

     Most economies continue to compile their national accounts according to the 1968 SNA, but more and more are adopting the 1993 SNA. Economies that use the 1993 SNA are identified in Primary data documentation. A few low-income economies still use concepts from older SNA guidelines, including valuations such as factor cost, in describing major economic aggregates. 

Classification of economies

For operational and analytical purposes the World Bank’s main criterion for classifying economies is GNI per capita. Every economy is classified as low income, middle income (subdivided into lower middle and upper middle), or high income. For income classifications see the map on the inside front cover and the list on the front cover flap. Low- and middle-income economies are sometimes referred to as developing economies. The use of the term is convenient; it is not intended to imply that all economies in the group are experiencing similar development or that other economies have reached a preferred or final stage of development. Note that classification by income does not necessarily reflect development status. Because GNI per capita changes over time, the country composition of income groups may change from one edition of World Development Indicators to the next. Once the classification is fixed for an edition, based on GNI per capita in the most recent year for which data are available (2003 in this edition), all historical data presented are based on the same country grouping.

     Low-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $765 or less in 2003. Middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of more than $765 but less than $9,386. Lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income economies are separated at a GNI per capita of $3,035. High-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $9,386 or more. The 12 participating member countries of the European Monetary Union (EMU) are presented as a subgroup under high-income economies. 

Symbols
..
means that data are not available or that aggregates cannot be calculated because of missing data in the years shown.

0 or 0.0
means zero or less than half the unit shown.

/
in dates, as in 1990/91, means that the period of time, usually 12 months, straddles two calendar years and refers to a crop year, a survey year, an academic year, or a fiscal year.

$
means current U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.
>
means more than.

<
means less than.


Data presentation conventions

• A blank means not applicable or, for an aggregate, not analytically meaningful. 
• A billion is 1,000 million. 
• A trillion is 1,000 billion. 
• Figures in italics refer to years or periods other than those specified. 
• Data for years that are more than three years from the range shown are footnoted.

The cutoff date for data is February 1, 2005.