This paper presents the International Financial Statistics (IFS) 2015 yearbook. The monthly printed issue of IFS reports current monthly, quarterly, and annual data, while the yearbook reports 12 observations of annual data. Most annual data on the CD-ROM and Internet begin in 1948; quarterly and monthly data generally begin in 1957; most balance-of-payments data begin in 1970. The different sections describe conceptual and technical aspects of various data published in IFS. The reader will find more detailed descriptions—about coverage, deviations from the standard methodologies, and discontinuities in the data—in the footnotes in the individual country and world tables in the monthly and yearbook issues of IFS, in the Print_Me file on the CD-ROM, and in the PDF pages on the Internet. Data on members’ Fund accounts are presented in the Fund Position section in the country tables and in four world tables.

This March issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. Balance-of-Payments Statistics Yearbook contains two sections; World and Regional Tables, and Country Tables. The first section presents 21 world and regional tables for major components of the balance of payments, net International Investment Position (IIP), and total financial assets and total liabilities for the IIP. The second section provides detailed tables on balance-of-payments statistics for 189 economies and IIP data for 143 economies. IFS, Balance-of-Payments Statistics, Direction of Trade Statistics, and Government Finance Statistics are available on CD-ROM by annual subscription. The CD-ROMs incorporate a Windows-based browser facility, as well as a flat file of the database in scientific notation. The Statistics Department of the IMF is pleased to make available to users the IFS, Balance-of-Payments Statistics, Direction of Trade Statistics, and Government Finance Statistics databases through the new, easy-to-use data.IMF.org online service. New features include Data Portals, which provide quick access to predefined tables, maps, graphs, and charts aimed at visualizing many common data searches.

This July 2015 issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. This issue contains country pages for Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tuvalu. IFS contain country tables for most IMF members, as well as for Anguilla, Aruba, the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, Curaçao, the currency union of Curaçao and Sint Maarten, the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, the euro area, Montserrat, the former Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten, the West African Economic Monetary Union, West Bank and Gaza, and some non-sovereign territorial entities for which statistics are provided internationally on a separate basis. Also, selected series are drawn from the country tables and published in area and world tables. The country tables normally include data on a country’s exchange rates, IMF position, international liquidity, monetary statistics, interest rates, prices, production, labor, international transactions, government accounts, national accounts, and population. Selected series, including data on Fund accounts, international reserves, and international trade, are drawn from the country tables and published in world tables as well.

This December 2015 issue of International Financial Statistics is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. The monthly printed issue of IFS reports current monthly, quarterly, and annual data, while the yearbook reports 12 observations of annual data. Most annual data on the CD-ROM and Internet begin in 1948; quarterly and monthly data generally begin in 1957; most balance-of-payments data begin in 1970. A nominal effective exchange rate index represents the ratio of an index of a currency’s period-average exchange rate to a weighted geometric average of exchange rates for the currencies of selected countries and the euro area. When a country joins the IMF, it is assigned a quota that fits into the structure of existing quotas. Quotas are considered in the light of the member’s economic characteristics and considering quotas of similar countries.

This October 2015 issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. IFS publish, for most countries of the world, current data on exchange rates, international liquidity, international banking, money and banking, interest rates, prices, production, international transactions (including balance of payments and international investment position), government finance, and national accounts. The notes to the country tables in the monthly issues provide information about exceptions in the choice of the consumer price index and the period average exchange rate index. Since January 1, 1981, the value of the SDR has been determined based on the currencies of the five member countries having the largest exports of goods and services during the five-year period ending one year before the date of the latest revision to the valuation basket.

This May 2015 issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. Quarterly issues of Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS) provide, for 160 countries, tables with current data (or estimates) on the value of imports from and exports to their most important trading partners. In addition, similar summary tables for the world, industrial countries, and developing countries are included. The yearbook provides, for the most recent seven years, detailed trade data by country for approximately 184 countries, the world, and major areas. The combined subscription package includes all issues of IFS, DOTS, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook, and Balance-of-Payments Statistics Yearbook.

This June 2015 issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. IFS publish, for most countries of the world, current data on exchange rates, international liquidity, international banking, money and banking, interest rates, prices, production, international transactions (including balance of payments and international investment position), government finance, and national accounts. Information is presented in tables for specific countries and in tables for area and world aggregates. IFS is published monthly and annually. In IFS, exchange rates are expressed in time series of national currency units per SDR (the unit of account for the IMF) and national currency units per US dollar, or vice versa.

This September issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. Official BPM6 Basis Data Availability table is now included in the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Statistics section of the Introduction. Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook contains two sections; World and Regional Tables, and Country Tables. The first section presents 21 world and regional tables for major components of the balance of payments, net International Investment Position (IIP), and total financial assets and total liabilities for the IIP. The second section provides detailed tables on balance-of-payments statistics for 189 economies and IIP data for 143 economies.

This August 2015 issue of International Financial Statistics (IFS) is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. The report also presents country newly reporting monetary data for Israel using the standardized report forms. IFS is a standard source of statistics on all aspects of international and domestic finance. The IMF publishes calculated effective exchange rates data only for countries that have given their approval. From July 1978 to December 1980, the composition of the basket was changed based on updated data for 1972–1976. The weights of some currencies were also changed. The amount of each of the 16 currencies in the revised basket was such as to ensure that the value of the SDR in terms of any currency on June 30, 1978 was the same in the revised valuation as in the previous valuation.

This paper focuses on composition of the basket that was changed on the basis of updated data for 1972–1976. The weights of some currencies were also changed. The amount of each of the 16 currencies in the revised basket was such as to ensure that the value of the Special Drawing Right (SDR) in terms of any currency on June 30, 1978 was exactly the same in the revised valuation as in the previous valuation. Since January 1, 1981, the value of the SDR has been determined based on the currencies of the five member countries having the largest exports of goods and services during the 5-year period ending one year before the date of the latest revision to the valuation basket. Broadly reflecting the currencies’ relative importance in international trade and finance, the weights are based on the value of the exports of goods and services of the members issuing these currencies and the balances of their currencies officially held by members of the IMF.