Food and Agriculture Organization

AQUASTAT is FAO's global information system on water and agriculture, developed by the Land and Water Division. The main mandate of the program is to collect, analyze and disseminate information on water resources, water uses, and agricultural water management with an emphasis on countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. This allows interested users to find comprehensive and regularly updated information at global, regional, and national levels.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from burning of biomass consist of methane and nitrous oxide gases from biomass combustion of forest land cover classes ‘Humid and Tropical Forest’ and ‘Other Forests’, and of methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide gases from combustion of organic soils. The FAOSTAT emissions database is computed following Tier 1 IPCC 2006 Guidelines for National GHG Inventories (http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/vol4.html). GHG emissions are provided by country, with global coverage, relative to the period 1990-present (with annual updates), expressed as Gg CH4, Gg N2O, Gg CO2, Gg CO2eq and Gg CO2eq from both CH4 and N2O, by land cover class (humid tropical forest, other forest, organic soils) and by aggregate (burning - all categories). Implied emission factors for N2O, CH4 and CO2 as well activity data (burned area and biomass burned) are also provided.

Annual net CO2 emission/removal from Forest Land consist of net carbon stock gain/loss in the living biomass pool (aboveground and belowground biomass) associated with Forest and Net Forest Conversion. The FAOSTAT emissions database is computed following Tier 1 IPCC 2006 Guidelines for National GHG Inventories (http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/index.html) and using area and carbon stocks data compiled by countries in the FAO Global Forest Resource Assessments (http://www.fao.org/forestry/fra/en/). GHG emissions are provided by country, regions and special groups, with global coverage, relative to the period 1990-present (with annual updates), expressed as net stock change Gg C, net emissions/removals Gg CO2 and CO2eq, by forest or net forest conversion and by aggregate (forest land). Implied emission factor for CO2 as well as activity data (area, net area difference, total forest area and carbon stock in living biomass) are also given.

The FAOSTAT domain Organic soils consist of nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with the drainage of organic soils ? using histosols as proxy ? for agriculture. Data are computed geospatially, using the Tier 1 method of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National greenhouse gas Inventories (IPCC, 2006). Estimates are available by country and with global coverage, in complete time series for the period 1990?2019. The database is updated annually. The FAOSTAT domain Organic soils disseminates information by country on: activity data (in hectares of organic soils drained for agriculture); and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (in kilotonnes of N2O and CO2). Drainage and associated emissions are assessed separately for IPCC land use categories cropland and grassland, corresponding to FAO land use categories ??cropland?? and ??permanent meadows and pastures.?? Data are available for all countries and territories, for standard FAOSTAT regional aggregations, and for Annex I and non-Annex I country groups. This FAOSTAT domain also disseminates the activity data and emissions data reported by countries to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), under ?Cultivation of organic soils? for the N2O component and categories ?Cropland drained organic soils? and ?Grassland drained organic soils? for the CO2. Activity data are sourced from the most recently available GHG National Inventories (NGHGI) or from National Communications. Emission data are sourced directly from the UNFCCC data portal or from Biennial Update Reports (BURs). UNFCCC data are disseminated in FAOSTAT with permission, formalized via a FAO-UNFCCC Memorandum of Understanding.

As of Jun 2021, estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture and land use are disseminated under the FAOSTAT heading Climate Change/Emissions. This heading consolidates and replaces two previous distinct headings: Emissions-Agriculture and Emissions-Land Use, which no longer exist. Several other domains were consolidated to facilitate data access. https://fenixservices.fao.org/faostat/static/documents/GT/README_Changes_in_2021.pdf   The domain Emissions Totals consolidatesin one single dataset the information previously presented in two separate datasets: Agriculture total (previously: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/GT; containing data on non-CO2 emissions from agriculture); and Land Use total (previously: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/GL; containing CO2 and non-CO2 emissions from land use, land use change and forestry. This link no longer works).

The food and agricultural trade dataset is collected, processed and disseminated by FAO according to the standard International Merchandise Trade Statistics Methodology. The data is mainly provided by UNSD, Eurostat, and other national authorities as needed. This source data is checked for outliers, trade partner data is used for non-reporting countries or missing cells, and data on food aid is added to take into account total cross-border trade flows. The trade database includes the following variables: export quantity, export value, import quantity and import value. The trade database includes all food and agricultural products imported/exported annually by all the countries in the world.   Classification system: HS 2012 converted into FAO Commodity List (also known as FCL, which is a classification based on the item tree approach used for the compilation of SUA/FBS).   Sector coverage: The dataset contains all food and agricultural products imported and exported during the reference year by country. In addition to the individual country data, other item and country aggregates are disseminated. The processed trade data is essential for the compilation of Supply/Utilization Accounts (SUA) and Food Balance Sheets (FBS).   Statistical concepts and definitions:Quantity of food and agricultural exports: Export quantity is defined by the IMTS as the physical quantity of domestic origin or manufactured products shipped out of the country. It includes re-exports. According to the FAO methodology, the quantity of food and agricultural exports included in the FAOSTAT database is expressed in terms of weight (tonnes) for all commodities except for live animals which are expressed in units (heads); poultry, rabbits, pigeons and other birds are expressed in thousand units. As a general rule, trade quantity refers to net weight, excluding any sort of container.  Value of agricultural exports: Value of agricultural exports are expressed in thousand US dollars in the FAOSTAT database. Export values are reported as FOB  (free on board—that is, the value of the goods plus the value of the services performed to deliver the goods to the border of the exporting country). Quantity of food and agricultural imports: Import quantity represents the physical quantity of the products imported for domestic consumption or processing shipped into a country. It includes re-imports. According to the FAO methodology, the quantity of food and agricultural imports included in the FAOSTAT database is expressed in terms of weight (tonnes) for all commodities except for live animals which are expressed in units (heads); poultry, rabbits, pigeons and other birds are expressed in thousand units. As a general rule, trade quantity refers to net weight, excluding any sort of container. It includes also food aid quantities, where relevant.  Value of agricultural imports: Value of agricultural imports are expressed in thousand US dollars in the FAOSTAT database. Import values are reported as CIF (cost insurance and freight—that is, the value of the goods, plus the value of the services performed to deliver goods to the border of the exporting country, plus the value of the services performed to deliver the good from the border of the exporting country to the border of the importing country). Statistical unit:All crops and livestock products registered by the customs office in the country. In case of non-customs trade data, the observation unit is the trade operator. For example, within intra-EU trade statistics, this unit is any taxable person carrying out intra-EU trade. For more information, see the IMTS compiler manual, edition 2012. Statistical population:All trade data on food and agricultural products, including livestock, are compiled by all customs offices in the country. For intra-EU trade, the statistical population is all trade operators recording trade transactions over a certain threshold. Total merchandise import/export value is also included.

The Fertilizers by Product dataset contains information on product amounts for the Production, Trade, Agriculture Use and Other Uses of chemical and mineral fertilizers products, over the time series 2002-present. The fertilizer statistics data are validated separately for a set of over thirty individual products. Both straight and compound fertilizers are included.

This database contains capture production statistics by country or territory, species item, and FAO Major Fishing Area.

This database contains statistics on production volume and value by species, country or area, fishing area and culture environment

Contains global production statistics (capture and aquaculture). This database contains the volume of aquatic species caught by country or area, by species items, by FAO major fishing areas, and year, for all commercial, industrial, recreational and subsistence purposes. The harvest from maricultural, aquaculture and other kinds of fish farming is also included

The FAOSTAT Macro Indicators database provides a selection of country-level macroeconomic indicators taken from National Accounts series and relating to total economy (TE), Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (AFF), Manufacturing (MAN), and Manufacturing of Food, beverage and tobacco products (FBT). All data relating to Total Economy, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, and Total Manufacturing originates from the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) which maintains and annually updates the "National Accounts Estimates of Main Aggregates" database. It consists of a complete and consistent set of time series of the main National Accounts (NA) aggregates of all UN Members States and other territories in the world for which National Accounts information is available. The UNSD database's content is based on the countries' official NA data reported to UNSD through the annual National Accounts Questionnaire, supplemented with data estimates for any years and countries with incomplete or inconsistent information. FAOSTAT Macro Indicators database reproduces a selection of time series from the UNSD National Accounts Estimates of Main Aggregates such as GDP, GFCF and sectoral VA. Additional analytical indicators such as annual per capita GDP (calculated using annual population series from the UNSD) and annual growth rates for GDP, GFCF and VA are included toghether with the investment ratio GFCF/GDP and the sectors'contribution to total economy GDP. Series on value added on Manufacture of Food, Beverages and Tobacco products originates - in order of priority - from OECD Annual National Accounts and UNIDO INDSTAT2 databases. In order to ensure that sub-industry series are consistent in levels with National Accounts based series, which is needed to support comparability across industries (agriculture vs. agro-industry and sub-industries), we proceed to a rescaling exercise of UNIDO originating series on UNSD National Accounts Estimates of Main Aggregates data series.

The FAOSTAT Population module contains time series data on population, by sex and urban/rural. The series consist of both estimates and projections for different periods as available from the original sources, namely: 1. Population data refers to the World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision from the UN Population Division. 2. Urban/rural population data refers to the World Urbanization Prospects: The 2014 Revision from the UN Population Division. Long term series estimates and projections from 1961 to 2050. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/

Data on agricultural land-use are valuable for conducting studies on a various perspectives concerning agricultural production, food security and for deriving cropping intensity among others uses. Indicators derived from the land-use categories can also elucidate the environmental sustainability of countries’ agricultural practices. FAOSTAT Land-use statistics contain a wide range of information on variables that are significant for: understanding the structure of a country’s agricultural sector; making economic plans and policies for food security; deriving environmental indicators, including those related to investment in agriculture and data on gross crop area and net crop area which are useful for policy formulation and monitoring. Land-use resources sub-domain covers: Country area (including area under inland water bodies), Land area (excluding area under inland water bodies), Agricultural area, Arable land and Permanent crops, Arable land, Permanent crops, Permanent meadows and pastures, Forest area, Other land and Area equipped for irrigation. Detailed information on sub-categories: Temporary crops, Temporary meadows and pastures, Fallow land (temporary: less than 5 years), Permanent meadows and pastures cultivated and naturally grown and Organic land. Data are available from 1961 to 2009 for more than 200 countries and areas. Forest area: Global Forest Resource Assessment 2010 (FRA 2010) is the main source of forest area data in FAOSTAT. Data were provided by countries for years 1990, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Data for intermediate years were estimated for FAO using linear interpolation and tabulation. Some of the most interesting data for economists is found in this domain. The national distribution of land, among arable land, pastures and other lands, as well as the importance of irrigation are just some of the interesting data sets.