This statistical file is mainly concerned with the external merchandise trade of Arab countries, which accounts for approximately 77% of the total trade of Arab goods and services due to the large share of oil and gas in the Arab foreign trade.

This statistical file is concerned with the latest available socio-economic data recognized by the United Nations and the World Bank as basic indicators to assess the process of development in the Arab countries and worldwide. Table 1 provides data on population and shows the ranking and values of Arab countries in the human development index (HDI) as well as in the inequality-adjusted human development index (IHDI). Tables 2–5 respectively follow up latest estimates on labour force, unemployment, poverty, education and illiteracy rates in Arab countries, while Table 6 concentrates on real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates and consumer price inflation statements. Table 7 gives figures on gross national income (GNI) per capita and the Gini index for income distribution, while Tables 8 and 9 respectively present indicators on health and social integration.

This statistical file is concerned with the issue of public debts in Arab countries. It assumes that public debt is a key source to fund the budget deficit in most Arab countries, and the rising public debt, particularly external debt, is increasingly becoming a concern for several countries in the region due to the pressure debt servicing might impose on these countries, which basically suffer an uncomfortable primary balance, in addition to the impact of crises in the region. Table 1 provides indicators on domestic public debts with ratios of debts to GDP, while Table 2 gives figures of external public debts with debt ratios to GDP. Table 3 provides estimates of total public debts with their ratios to GDP, while Tables 4 and 5 show figures of external public debt service, ratios of debt servicing to exports of goods and services and external public debt service ratios to Arab governments’ revenues respectively.

This statistical file is concerned with Arab government budgets as it assumes that the sharp drop in oil prices coupled with ongoing regional conflicts have caused significant deficits in the budgets of most Arab countries, especially Arab oil-exporting countries, where governments had to implement a wide range of fiscal reforms aiming at rationalizing public spending and enhancing public revenues. On the other hand, lower oil prices have eased pressures on public finance in Arab oil-importing countries, especially in light of the rising cost of energy subsidies. Yet, many of these countries had also to proceed with structural reforms to reduce fuel subsidies and control the budget. Tables 1 and 2 provide statements on government revenues and grants, including estimates of government revenues as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), while Tables 3–5 show hydrocarbon and tax revenues, including estimates of these revenues as a percentage of total public revenues. Tables 6 and 7 provide statements on government expenditures, including estimates of government expenditures as a percentage of GDP, while Tables 8 and 9 deal with the structure of expenditures, showing estimates of current and capital expenditures along with figures on the functional classification of current expenditures. Overall surplus/deficit figures for Arab government budgets along with projections of the general government fiscal balance are shown in Table 10.

In line with the global trend, this statistical file assumes that the Arab countries are in a situation where they must find ways of feeding the growing population with a limited amount of land and water and other natural resources. It also assumes that the population in the Arab region is becoming increasingly urban. This represents a clear challenge for the region to ensure that agricultural communities are able to contribute to ensuring that expanding urban populations have access to safe and nutritious food, recognizing the crucial role of agriculture in reducing rural poverty, malnutrition in poor countries and, at the same time, contribute to sustainable development. Table 1 introduces statements on the rural population, while Table 2 gives figures on agricultural labour forces. Table 3 provides figures on total and cultivated areas, while Table 4 presents statements on land use. Table 5 is concerned with agricultural production and its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), while Tables 6 and 7 present statements on agricultural and food imports and exports. Figures on Arab countries' contribution to the food gap value, self-sufficiency ratio (SSR) in main agricultural products and on the proportion of the under-nourished in Arab countries and their ranking in the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2016 are shown in Tables 8–10 respectively.

This statistical file is concerned with the latest available data that might be useful in dealing with the issue of the labour force and unemployment in Arab countries and worldwide. Table 1 introduces data on the working-age populations, while Table 2 shows figures on the labour force participation rates. Table 3 provides statements on the percentage of children (between 5 and 14 years) who are working in Arab countries, while Table 4 presents figures on the labour force distribution by sector. Table 5 is concerned with data on the employment rates, while Table 6 presents data on labour distribution by level of education in selected Arab countries. Data on education outputs and labour market needs in selected Arab countries and on the perceptions of work and the labour market are shown in Tables 7 and 8 respectively.

This statistical file is based on the Population and Development Report 6: Development Policy Implications of Age–Structural Transitions in Arab countries , issued by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (Beirut, ESCWA, 2014) in the light of the growing demographic challenges facing the Arab countries, resulting from age–structural transitions that affect the process of development, in both the short- and long-terms. The report assumes that the Arab countries are undergoing a shift from high to low rates of mortality and fertility; as a result, some countries have entered a demographic ‘window of opportunity', and several others will soon enter this stage. The ‘window of opportunity' is a period when the working-age population (aged 15–64 years) grows faster than either the population of children (aged 0–14 years) or older persons (aged 65+ years), shifting the balance of the population from high levels of dependency to high levels of potential workers. This shift in age structure in turn creates the potential for Arab countries to benefit from a ‘demographic dividend', namely ‘increased economic productivity, savings, and human capital development' (ESCWA 2014, 3). The report, however, affirms that the ‘demographic dividend' is not an automatic benefit. It necessitates the adoption of reforms that enable Arab governments to make use of the time-limited demographic opportunity. Otherwise, challenges such as ‘youth unemployment and alienation will persist, while new problems of old-age poverty will be exacerbated in the future' (viii). In view of the above, this statistical file presents selected demographic figures that might be useful for following up on the age–structural changes in Arab countries and to assess government policies that would serve the needs of different age groups.