Macro-economic indicators are used to monitor the level of economic growth in an economy for further analysis. In order to respond to in-house requirements for macro-economic analysis, preparation of country briefs and regional, global and continental summaries, a database on selected macro-economic indicators is maintained within ESSA. The ESSA database contains data on both primary and derived indicators, for all available years since 1970.

List of indicators

Primary Indicators

- Agriculture, value added (current US$)
- Agriculture, value added (% of GDP)
- Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, Atlas method (current US$)
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at market prices (current US$)

Derived Indicators

- Average annual growth rate of Agricultural GDP
- Average annual growth rate of GDP
- Gross capital formation as % of GDP
- Agricultural GDP per agricultural worker
- Agricultural GDP per hectare of agricultural land

Primary Indicators used for Derived Indicators and Country Group Aggregates

- Agriculture, value added (constant 1995 US$)
- GDP (constant 1995 US$)
- GNI, Atlas method (current US$)
- Gross capital formation (current US$)
- Gross value added at factor cost (current US$)
- Land use, agricultural (hectares)
- Population, agricultural
- Population, total

Data can be provided for any of the above three groups of indicators, at the country or aggregate level.

Data sources

One of the most comprehensive datasets on macro-economic indicators is produced by the World Bank. Data in the national currency is converted into a common currency, the United States Dollar, in order to allow comparison of indicators and aggregation at regional and global levels. This is the principal source of data and is used as the base-line. For concepts and definitions of primary indicators, refer to the World Bank World Development Indicators, 2002.

The indicators are updated once a year, when the World Development Indicators CD Rom is made available (usually mid-year). Secondary data sources include: UN Statistics Division and its regional bodies (ESCAP, ESCWA, ECE, ECLAC); Development Banks (African, Asian, Caribbean); European Commission; OECD; Country Statistical Yearbooks and other country sources. Where feasible, FAO makes estimates of any missing data for reporting at regional and global levels.

Time series data for selected indicators are presented in the Excel files and charts available below.

- Gross Domestic Product (GDP), current prices
- Agriculture, value added, current prices
- Agriculture, value added as % of GDP
- Gross National Income (GNI), Atlas method, per capita
- GDP and Agricultural GDP growth rates, 1980-1990 and 1990-2000

Charts