UNIDO Statistics

Progress by innovation with reliable industrial statistics

UNIDO has the mandate to compile and communicate international statistics on the manufacturing, mining and utilities sectors. This entails the regular collection and validation of industrial data obtained from official sources and presenting them according to harmonized definitions and classifications. UNIDO also creates analytical indicators based on these official data, which can be used to monitor a country’s prevailing economic performance and progress in terms of inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID).

The statistics are disseminated through various databases available in this portal, as well as publications such as the International Yearbook of Official Statistics. These products offer statistical information to a wide range of users, including national governments, international development partners, academic and research institutions, as well as the business and statistical communities. Primary importance is given to data quality considerations, especially in terms of international comparability and alignment with concepts, definitions, classifications and coverage recommended by the United Nations and agreed by the international statistical community.

As a custodian agency of six indicators under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, UNIDO has been actively involved in the process of developing and monitoring the global indicator framework for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNIDO contributes to the global SDG progress reporting and collaborates with countries on improving data availability and quality for better tracking their progress towards the 2030 Agenda.

Through its technical cooperation activities, UNIDO collaborates with national statistical offices worldwide to enhance the availability and quality of industrial statistics, as well as their use in guiding policy programmes. UNIDO also participates in international initiatives to develop the next generation of statistical standards, guidelines and methodologies.

Historical background

UNIDO’s statistical activities began in 1979, with a creation of a database for the Organization’s research on inter-country economic development. In subsequent years, UNIDO extended its statistical activities for further supporting its research and technical cooperation programme. However, it remained dependent on the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) as the data source.

In 1993, the United Nations Statistical Commission gave UNIDO the mandate for maintaining global industrial statistics, in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Since then, UNIDO has been collecting national data directly from countries and areas, in collaboration with other international organizations, for a global coverage of its industrial statistics. This mandate was further strengthened in 2019, when the responsibility for the collection and dissemination of some industrial databases that remained in UNSD was transferred to UNIDO. In 2017, UNIDO also became a custodian agency for the industry-related indicators for monitoring progress towards the SDGs.