CHANGES IN THIS ISSUE


CHANGES TO STATISTICS PRESENTED ON A COUNTRY BASIS

From this issue, there are changes to the ABS trade country classification and to the composition of the Developing Countries category which impacts on the international merchandise trade time series spreadsheets. The changes result from the recognition of new countries by the United Nations and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

INTRODUCTION OF NEW COUNTRIES

Two new countries 'South Sudan' and 'Sudan' have been added to the time series Tables 14a, 14b, 36a–36j and 37a–37h. The country previously known as Sudan has had its label amended to 'Former Sudan' and ceased at the September 2012 reference month. The ordering of countries has been affected for all country tables.

Country	Country Codes
South Sudan	SSUD
Former Sudan (previously known as 'Sudan')	SUDA
Sudan	SUDN

The new time series IDs for these new country codes are shown below:

	Time Series IDs
Tables	South Sudan	Sudan
14a. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186086T	A82186085R
14b. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186083K	A82186084L
36a. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin New South Wales, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186132V	A82186121L
36b. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Victoria, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186133W	A82186122R
36c. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Queensland, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186134X	A82186123T
36d. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin South Australia, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186135A	A82186124V
36e. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Western Australia, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186136C	A82186125W
36f. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Tasmania, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186137F	A82186126X
36g. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Northern Territory, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186138J	A82186127A
36h. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Australian Capital Territory, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186140V	A82186129F
36i. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, State of Origin Not Available, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186141W	A82186130R
36j. MERCHANDISE EXPORTS, Re–exports, by Country and Country Groups, FOB Value	A82186142X	A82186131T
37a. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination New South Wales, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186112K	A82186103J
37b. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Victoria, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186113L	A82186104K
37c. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Queensland, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186114R	A82186105L
37d. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination South Australia, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186115T	A82186106R
37e. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Western Australia, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186116V	A82186107T
37f. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Tasmania, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186117W	A82186108V
37g. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Northern Territory, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186118X	A82186109W
37h. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Australian Capital Territory, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value	A82186119A	A82186110F

Table 14 of this publication showing data for selected countries on an international merchandise trade basis has not changed.

CHANGES TO ABS TRADE OVERSEAS PORT CLASSIFICATION

Changes have been made to the ABS trade overseas port classification for the new countries, however, there are no changes to publication tables or time series spreadsheets. Port data are available via tailored user pays consultancies. Details of the changes are as follows:

Port	Port code ceasing September 2012	Port code commencing October 2012
Port Sudan	736 001	735 001
Other and Unspec ports– Fmr Sudan	736 449
Other and Unspec ports–Sudan		735 449
ALL PORTS–SOUTH SUDAN		737 449

CHANGES TO THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES CATEGORY

The composition of the Developing Countries category published in table 14 and time series spreadsheets 14a, 14b, 36a–36j and 37a–37h has been updated to include Serbia and Papua New Guinea and exclude Western Sahara. The new composition applies to the whole time series.

AMENDMENTS TO COUNTRIES AND COUNTRY GROUPS

The countries and country groups included in tables 36a–36j and 37a–37h have been amended to match those presented in tables 14a and 14b, with the exception of the country group 'Euro Area' which has not been added.


INTRODUCTION OF NEW TIME SERIES SPREADSHEET

A new time series spreadsheet 37i. MERCHANDISE IMPORTS, State of Destination Not Available, by Country and Country Groups, Customs Value has been introduced and is accessible on the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>.