Catalog of Economic Time Series

Catalog of

Economic Time Series

Introduction to the Catalog:

The Catalog of Economic Time Series (CETS) is a glossary of standard acronyms for the most commonly used social and economic data maintained in the central databases of the World Bank. The purpose of the Catalog is to provide Bank staff with an inventory of frequently requested data available and to suggest a general naming convention for time series data maintained on the Economist's Workstation.

The acronyms or "CETS codes" documented in the Catalog provide a general framework for organizing and describing economic data. For databases kept on personal computers, and particularly those maintained as part of the Economist's Workstation, CETS codes have become the standard nomenclature employed at the Bank. They are the common language of the EWS, linking databases to analytical models and reports.

The CETS codes complement the longer, descriptive acronyms used.

The Catalog is not a complete "data dictionary." It does not provide definitions or accounting rules. Users who wish to know more about the sources, definitions, and accounting identities underlying particular databases should consult User's Guide. More information about the statistical conventions employed at the World Bank, contact Development Economics Data Group (DECDG).

The Structure of CETS Codes:

A systematic naming convention is an important part of database design. Variable names should be both convenient to use and easy to remember. Names that are long and descriptive are slow to enter and result in formulas that are difficult to read. Names that are too short or names constructed by arbitrary sequencing schemes are difficult to remember. To some extent the ideal naming convention depends upon the structure of your database and the purpose of your application. Although small database or a simple model can use a correspondingly simple naming convention, many applications outgrow their original purpose and, hence, their nomenclature, forcing the model builder to rename and redocument the application. Therefore it is often best to think big from the beginning.

The Catalog does not contain all of the time series stored in the Bank's Central Database, nor can it provide specific rules for constructing mnemonics for all the data a country economist is likely to collect. Users are encouraged to generate their own mnemonics as needed, following the general model.

The generic structureof the Extended Indicator Code is as follows:

Topic / General
Subject / Specific
Subject / Extensions
123
(2 digits) / (3 digits) / (4 digits) / (2 digits each)
For example,
NE / CON / PRVT
KN 80
BX / TRF / PRVT / CD

would read "National Accounts expenditures on private consumption in constant 1980 national currency", and "Balance of Payments receipts of private transfers in current US dollars" respectively.

The Topic code identifies a broad grouping based on functional similarities. All Balance of Payments items begin with a B. Two-digit topic codes permit a finer breakdown of data at the highest level. For example, BX identifies Balance of Payments Current Account Receipts while BM identifies BOP current account payments.

The General Subject code specifies a broad subject area within a particular topic. Examples of general subjects are consumption (CON) or gross domestic investment (GDI) in the national accounts expenditure accounts or transfers (TRF) within the balance of payments.

The Specific Subject code further identifies a particular indicator within a database. For example, private (PRVT) consumption and government (GOVT) consumption are two specific subjects under the general subject consumption. Being four digits in length, they will never be mistaken for any other index component, even when indices are permutated as they might be when retrieving data from a Javelin or CD-ROM database.

The three extension fields are available for further clarification of definition, as required. For data recorded in value terms, the first extension could be used for denomination: local, US dollar, SDR etc., in nominal or constant prices; the second would be used to denote the base year for constant price series. In the case of data in non monetary units, the first extension would be units and the second a modifier of the first or a scale factor if needed. The third is left open to the user. One purpose might be to record the data source, such as the Bank (WB), the Fund (MF), or the UN. Another might be to indicate different "vintages" or to distinguish actual values from projections or transformations of series. Users should avoid using extension codes that are identical to the two-digit topic codes.

In some cases it may be preferable to use three or four-digit extension codes. For example the extension ZS is frequently used to denote a variable calculated as a share of a total; if necessary the extension ZSG could be used to distinguish a share of GDP from a share of total exports (ZSX). Again, the purpose of CETS is to provide a general model not to establish fixed rules for naming variables.

Organization of the Catalog:

The listings in the catalog are arranged by major database sources. Within each database grouping, the series are grouped by specific topics codes and within these groupings they are listed alphabetically.

In each section the definitions are provided for the topic codes. In some cases definitions are also provided for the general subject and extension codes. In the External Debt section, definitions are also provided for specific subject codes.

Changes from Previous Editions:

There have been no major revisions in the Catalog since the November, 1991 edition. There are several deletions and revised codes, which have been denoted by an asterisk (*). Otherwise, all previous codes have been maintained.

The topic codes associated with the production accounts in the National Accounts have been modified slightly. Value-added is now denoted by the generic topic code NV and this code has been incorporated into various EWS applications. Data will be coded either NP (value-added at producers prices) or NB (value added at basic prices), depending on the country. Users may choose to use the more specific designation or use the generic NV since most countries follow one convention or the other.

The social indicator codes in the new catalog have been revised and expanded. These still remain somewhat problematic. Suggestions from users would be much appreciated.

All suggestions for additions or revisions to the Catalog are welcome. Comments, queries, and requests for additional copies should be sent to Development Economics Department, data Group.

Balance of Payments

Topic Codes: Direction of Flows

BX
BM
BN / Exports, receipts, or increase in liabilities
Imports, payments, or decrease in liabilities
Net flows (BX - BM)
General Subject Codes: Account/sub account
GSR
CAB
KAC
KLT
KST
TRF
RES / Current account Goods and services
Current account balances
Capital account
Capital account Long term capital
Capital account Short term capital
Transfers
RES Changes in reserves
Catalog Series
Current Account
BM / GSR / FCTY / CD / Factor income: payments
BM / GSR / FINT / CD / Interest paid (cash basis, DRS)
BM / GSR / FXAI / CD / Other factor pmts. excluding interest payments and arrears
BM / GSR / GNFS / CD / Imp. of goods & non-factor services
BM / GSR / GOVS / CD / Official (government) services: payments
BM / GSR / IDNP / CD / Interest due but not paid (DRS)
BM / GSR / INTG / CD / Government Interest payments
BM / GSR / INTP / CD / Private Interest payments
BM / GSR / INYD / CD / Direct investment income: payments
BM / GSR / INYO / CD / Other investment income: payments
BM / GSR / INYT / CD / Total investment income: payments
BM / GSR / LABY / CD / Labor income: payments
BM / GSR / MRCH / CD / Merchandise imports fob
BM / GSR / NFSV / CD / Imp. of non-factor services
BM / GSR / OGSY / CD / Other goods, services, & income: payments
BM / GSR / OTGS / CD / Other goods & services: payments
BM / GSR / PROY / CD / Property income: payments
BM / GSR / SERV / CD / Total services: payments
BM / GSR / SHIP / CD / Shipment (freight & insurance): payments
BM / GSR / TOTL / CD / Imp. of goods & services
BM / GSR / TRNS / CD / Passenger & other transportation: payments
BM / GSR / TRVL / CD / Travel & tourism: payments
BN / CAB / FUND / CD / Current acct bal-imf definition
BN / CAB / XOKA / CD / Current acct bal-excl off cap. transf
BN / CAB / XOTR / CD / Current acct. tat-ecl. off transfers
BN / GSR / FCTY / CD / Net Factor income
BN / GSR / GNFS / CD / Net trade in goods & non-factor services
BN / GSR / GOVS / CD / Net Official (government) services
BN / GSR / INYD / CD / Net Direct investment income
BN / GSR / INYO / CD / Net Other investment income
BN / GSR / INYT / CD / Net Total investment income
BN / GSR / LABY / CD / Net Labor income
BN / GSR / MRCH / CD / Net merchandise trade fob
BN / GSR / NFSV / CD / Net trade in non-factor services
BN / GSR / OGSY / CD / Net Other goods, services, & income
BN / GSR / OTGS / CD / Net Other goods & services
BN / GSR / PROY / CD / Net Property income
BN / GSR / SERV / CD / Net Total services
BN / GSR / SHIP / CD / Net Shipment (freight & insurance)
BN / GSR / TOTL / CD / Net trade in goods & services
BN / GSR / TRNS / CD / Net Passenger & other transportation
BN / GSR / TRVL / CD / Net Travel & tourism
BX / GSR / FCTY / CD / Factor income: receipts
BX / GSR / GNFS / CD / Exp. of goods & non-factor services: receipts
BX / GSR / GOVS / CD / Official (government) services: receipts
BX / GSR / INYD / CD / Direct investment income: receipts
BX / GSR / INYO / CD / Other investment income: receipts
BX / GSR / INYT / CD / Total investment income: receipts
BX / GSR / LABY / CD / Labor income: receipts
BX / GSR / MRCH CD / CD / Merchandise exports fob
BX / GSR / NFSV / CD / Exp. of non-factor services
BX / GSR / OGSY / CD / Other goods, services, & income: receipts
BX / GSR / OTGS / CD / Other goods & services: receipts
BX / GSR / PROY / CD / Property income: receipts
BX / GSR / SERV / CD / Total services: receipts
BX / GSR / SHIP / CD / Shipment (freight & insurance): receipts
BX / GSR / TOTL / CD / Exp. of goods & services
BX / GSR / TRNS / CD / Passenger & other transportation: receipts
BX / GSR / TRVL / CD / Travel & tourism: receipts
Capital Account
BM / KAC / ESCR / CD / Escrow account ( - = inflow)
BM / KAC / FNEI / CD / Capital inflow n.e.i.
BM / KAC / OTHR / CD / Capital account-other items: payments
BM / KLT / DINV / CD / Direct investment net change in assets
BM / KLT / DMBK / CD / Other I-t cap:deposit money banks: net change in assets
BM / KLT / OSEC / CD / Other I-t cap:other sectors: net change in assets
BM / KLT / OTHR / CD / Other I-t inflow net change in assets
BM / KLT / PORT / CD / Portfolio investment net change in assets
BM / KLT / ROFF / CD / Other I-t cap:resident official: net change in assets
BM / KLT / XRES / CD / Total I-t cap:excl reserves: net change in assets
BM / KST / DMBK / CD / Other s-t cap:deposit money banks: net change in assets
BM / KST / OSEC / CD / Other s-t cap:other sectors: net change in assets
BM / KST / OTHR / CD / Short-term capital: net change in assets
BM / KST / ROFF / CD / Other s-t cap:resident official: net change in assets
BM / KST / XRES / CD / Total s-t cap:excl reserves: net change in assets
BN / KAC / EOMS / CD / Net Errors & omissions

1

Catalog of Economic Time Series

BN KAC ESCR CD

BN KAC FNCF CD

BN KAC OTCF CD

BN KAC OTHR CD

Escrow Account ( - = inflow)

Net Capital flows n.e.i.

Net Other capital flows'

Net Other items

BN KAC X1NV CD

BN KAC XRES CD

BN KLT DINV CD

BN KLT DMBK CD

BN KLT DMXL CD

BN KLT IOKA CD

BN KLT OSEC CD

BN KLT OSXL CD

BN KLT OTHR CD

BN KLT PORT CD

BN KLT PTXL CD

BN KLT ROFF CD

BN KLT ROXL CD

BN KLT RSDL CD

BN KLT XRES CD

BN KLT XRSL CD

BN KST CIXA CD

BN KST DMBK CD

BN KST DMXL CD

BN KST IARI CD

BN KST OSEC CD

BN KST OSXL CD

BN KST OTHR CD

BN KST ROFF CD

BN KST ROXL CD

BN KST XRES CD

BN KST XRSL CD

Net capital excluding investment

Net Total capital acct excl reserves and errsoms

Net Direct investment

Net Other I-t cap:deposit money banks

Net Other I-t cap:depos. money bks excl LCFAR

Net long-term capital including official capital transfers/grants

Net Other I-t cap:other sectors

Net Other I-t cap:other sectors excl LCFAR Net Other I-t inflow

Net Portfolio investment

Net Portfolio investment excl LCFAR Net Other I-t cap:resident official

Net Other I-t cap:resident off. excl LCFAR

Net I-t cap., excl. direct investment and net LT borrowing (DR)

Net Total 1-t cap: excl reserves

Net Total I-t cap:excl reserves & LCFAR

Net Change in interest arrears

Net Other s-t cap:deposit money banks

Net Other s-t cap:depos. money bks excl LCFAR

Net other s-t cap: including interest arrears, excl LCFARs

Net Other s-t cap:other sectors

Net Other s-t cap:other sectors excl LCFAR

Net Other Short-term capital

Net Other s-t cap:resident official

Net Other s-t cap:resdt oft. excl LCFAR,

Net Total s-t cap:excl reserves

Net Total s-t cap:excl reserves & LCFAR

BN KAC ESCR CD

BX KAC FNEI CD

BX KAC OTHR CD

BX KLT AMRT CD

BX KLT AMTG CD

BX KLT AMTP CD

BX KLT DINV CD

BX KLT DISB CD

BX KLT DISG CD

BX KLT DISP CD

BX KLT DMBK CD

BX KLT DMXL CD

BX KLT NFLG CD

BX KLT NFLP CD

BX KLT NFLW CD

BX KLT OSEC CD

BX KLT OSXL CD

BX KLT OTHR CD

Escrow account (- = inflow) Capital flows n.e.i.

Other items

Repayments (amortization) on long-term debt

Government net long-term borrowing: repayments Prorate net long-term borrowing: repayments

Direct investment net change in liabilities Disbursements received on long-term debt

Government net long-term borrowing: disbursements received Private net long-term borrowing: disbursements received

Other I-t cap: deposit money banks: net change in liabilities

Other I-t cap:depos. money bks excl LCFAR on I-t borrowing Government long term capital: net inflows on I-t borrowing

Private long term capital: net inflows on I-t borrowing

Long term capital: net inflows on I-t borrowing

Other I-t cap: other sectors: net change in liabilities

Other 1-t cap: other sectors excl LCFAR: net change in liabilities

Other I-t capital inflow: net change in liabilities

1

Catalog of Economic Time Series

BX / KLT / PORT CD / Portfolio investment net change in liabilities
BX / KLT / PTXL CD / Portfolio investment excl LCFAR: net change in liabilities
BX / KLT / ROFF CD / Other 1-t cap: resident official: net change in liabilities
BX / KLT / ROXL CD / Other I-t cap:resident off. excl LCFAR: net change in liabilities
BX / KLT / XRES CD / Total I-t cap:excel reserves: net change in 6abilitirs
BX / KLT / XRSL CD / Total I-t cap:excl reserves & LCFAR: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / DMBK CD / Other s-t cap:deposit money banks: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / DMXL CD / Other s-t cap:depos. money bks excl LCFAR: net change in
liabilities
BX / KST / OSEC CD / Other s-t cap:other sectors: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / OSXL CD / Other s-t cap:other sectors excl LCFAR: net change in
liabilities
BX / KST / OTHR CD / Short-term capital: residual: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / ROFF CD / Other s-t cap:resident official: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / ROXL CD / Other s-t cap:resdt off excl LCFAR: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / XRES CD / Total s-t cap:excl reserves: net change in liabilities
BX / KST / XRSL CD / Total s-t cap:excl reserves & LCFAR: net change in liabilities
Transfers
BM / TRF / KOGT CD / Official transfers deemed capital grants: payments
BM / TRF / OFDC CD / Official transfers deemed current: payments
BM / TRF / OFFT CD / Official transfers: payments
BM / TRF / PMIG CD / Migrants' transfers: payments
BM / TRF / PRVO CO / Other private transfers: payments
BM / TRF / PRVT CD / Private transfers: payments
BM / TRF / PWKR CD / Workers' remittances: payments
BM / TRF / PXWR CO / Private transfers excluding workers' remittances: payments
BM / TRF / TOTL CD / Total transfers: payments
BM / TRF / XOKA CD / Transfers, excl. official capital: payments
BN / TRF / KOGT CD / Net Official transfers deemed capital grants
BN / TRF / OFDC CD / Net Official transfers deemed current
BN / TRF / OFFT CD / Net Official transfers
BN / TRF / PMIG CO / Net Migrants' transfers
BN / TRF / PRVO CD / Net Other private transfers
BN / TRF / PRVT CO / Net Private transfers
BN / TRF / PWKR CD / Net Workers' remittances
BN / TRF / PXWR CD / Net private transfers excluding workers' remittances
BN / TRF / TOTL CD / Net Total transfers
BN / TRF / XOKA CD / Net Transfers, excl. official capital
BX / TRF / KOGS CD / Off. trfs. deemed cap. grants: for budgetary financing: receipts
BX / TRF / KOGE CD / Off. trfs. deemed cap. grants: extra-budgetary entities (OPS):rcpts.
BX / TRF / KOGT CO / Official transfers deemed capital grants: receipts
BX / TRF / OFDC CD / Official transfers deemed current receipts
BX / TRF / OFFT CD / Official transfers: receipts
BX / TRF / OTHR CD / Current transfers excluding workers' remittances: receipts
BX / TRF / PMIG CD / Migrants' transfers: receipts
BX / TRF / PRVO CD / Other private transfers: receipts
BX / TRF / PRVT CD / Private transfers: receipts

1

Catalog of Economic Time Series

BX / TRF / PWKR CD / Workers' remittances: receipts
BX / TRF / PXWR CD / Private transfers excluding workers' remittances: receipts
BX / TRF / TOTL CD / Total transfers: receipts
BX / TRF / XOKA CD / Transfers, excl. official capital: receipts
BX / TRF / XWKR CD / Transfers excl. workers' remittances: receipts
Reserves
BN / RES / CPRT CD / Net change in Reserves-total countrDt items
BN / RES / CPVA CD / Net change in Reserves-countrpt to valuation chg
BN / RES / FASC CD / Net change in Foreign exchg assets-total change in holdings
BN / RES / FAST CD / Net change in Reserves-foreign exchange assets
BN / RES / FASV CD / Net change in Foreign exchg assets-countrpt to val. chg
BN / RES / HLDC CD / Net change in Reserves-total change in holdings
BN / RES / ILXI CD / Net change in reserves including LCFARs and excluding IMF
and escrow acc't
BN / RES / IMFC CD / Net change in Reserve pos in fund-total change in holdings
BN / RES / IMFT CD / Net change in Reserves-reserve position in fund
BN / RES / IMFV CD / Net change in Reserve pos in fund-countrpt to val. chg
BN / RES / INCL CD / Net change in Reserves including LCFAR
BN / RES / LCFR CD / Net change in Total liab const foreign auth reserves
BN / RES / MGOC CD / Net change in Monetary gold-total change in holdings
BN / RES / MGOM CD / Net change in Monetary gold-countrpt to monetization
BN / RES / MGOT CD / Net change in Reserves-monetary gold
BN / RES / MGOV CD / Net change in Monetary gold-countrt to valuation chg
BN / RES / OCLC CD / Net change in Other claims-total change in holdings
BN / RES / OCLT CD / Net change in Reserves-other claims
BN / RES / OCLV CD / Net change in Other claims-countrpt to valuation changes
BN / RES / OTXI CD / Net change in Other reserve changes
BN / RES / SORA CD / Net change in SDR-countrpt to allocation
BN / RES / SORC CD / Net change in SDR total change in holdings
BN / RES / SDRT CD / Net change in Reserves special drawing rights
BN / RES / SORV CD / Net change in SDR-countrpt to valuation chg
BN / RES / TOTL CD / Reserves-total change in reserves
BN / RES / UFCC CD / Net change in Use of fund credit-total change in holdings
BN / RES / UFCT CD / Net change in Reserves-use of fund credit
BN / RES / UFCV CD / Net change in Use of fund credit-countrpt to valuation chg

1