As the first public database to provide detailed comparable information on the microstructure of trade flows between countries, the Exporter Dynamics Database (EDD) has filled a significant gap in our understanding of the foundations of export growth. The database offers a comprehensive picture of exporter dynamics in both developed and developing countries.
The EDD draws on datasets covering the universe of exporter transactions obtained directly from customs agencies, allowing for comparability across countries. The measures in the EDD cover the basic micro-characteristics of the export sector (number of exporters, their size, and their growth), the degree of concentration and of diversification of exporters, their dynamics in terms of entry, exit, and survival, and the average unit prices of the products they trade.
EDD version 2.0—the latest version of the database—now offers information for 70 countries. It also contains updated information and its time coverage has been extended with 2005-2012 being the period most commonly covered. For a selected group of countries, data are available from the 1990s and up to 2014.
Extensively used both for practical policy advice and novel research, the EDD is helping to enhance our understanding of the microfoundations of export growth and lead to more informed policymaking.
