Index numbers of industrial production

Abstract

This document shows the situation of the series of index numbers of industrial production in African countries. This study has two objectives: to present the situation, as it presently exists, with respect to index numbers, and to act as an incentive to those African countries which have not yet established a series of index numbers. It might be useful to repeat the recommendations relating to index numbers, made on several occasions by the statistical commission of the United Nations. The general aim of an index number of industrial production is to indicate changes over time in the volume of production of non-agricultural commodities. An index of production is subject to the familiar limitations of all index numbers. The series available are generally an imperfect and incomplete representation of the whole field. The use of an index is valid only for relatively short-run comparisons.