Utanríkisverslun eftir tollskrárnúmerum - 01.05.1995, Blaðsíða 7

Preface
The annual publication by Statistics Iceiand of a report on
external trade marks the conclusion of the processing of
Icelandic trade data for the preceding year. With the present
1994 edition, the publication takes on a new form, the
yearbook, External Trade, being replaced by two publica-
tions.
In recent years, Statistics Iceland has tried to enhance the
practical value of its statistical reports and facilitate user
access to statistical data as far as possible. As regards external
trade statistics, this endeavour has been manifested in an
increased generation of information, particularly with a view
to the user interest observed. In addition, user services have
been improved through increased communication of data,
regular issueing of the foreign trade statistics, customized
processing according to individual requests, which occa-
sionally has developed into regular processing, and finally,
through direct user access to monthly data on exports and
imports according to customs tariff numbers, classes of
commodities and countries. In 1994 Statistics Iceland re-
sponded to a request of numerous users of external trade
statistics wishing to promote foreign trade and published a
report in English entitled Icelandic Foreign Trade. This
request came from various users engaged in trade with
foreign companies or in other forms of relations with foreign-
ers who require information in a language they are able to
understand. The structure of the work focused in particular
on the needs of the foreign service with consequent emphasis
on trade with individual countries. Subsequently, it was
decided to reorganize the publication of external trade statis-
tics by dividing the traditional ExternalTrade series into two
separate volumes each year. One of these publications will
from now on be published in English as well so that each year
the following three publications will be issued:
Utanríkisversiun 1994, Vöruflokkar ogviðskiptalönd (lce-
landic External Trade 1994, Commodities and Countries).
This work contains a summary of Icelandic external trade in
general in a form similar to that of the introduction of the
older Extemal Trade series, with tables on exports and
imports classified by divisions of products and by trade with
individual countries. The introduction includes a thorough
description of the data used as well as on methodology,
definitions, classification and processing.
Utanríkisverslun 1994 eftir tollskrárnúmerum, External
Trade 1994 by HS-numbers. This work contains the body of
the material in the older External Trade, a detailed analysis
of exports and imports by individual customs tariff numbers
and, within each number, by individual countries. The intro-
duction contains the same material as described above on
data, methods, definitions and classification.
Icelandic External Trade 1994 is an English version of the
first work giving a summary of the foreign trade and detailed
information on trade by partner countries.
External trade statistics have been published annually in
Iceland ever since 1855, up till now under the full title
Verslunarskýrslur, External Trade. In the beginning these
were based on annual, although often fragmentary, data
supplied by merchants but since 1921 their reports included
each and every consignment. Since 1940, however, the
external trade statistics have been based on customs declara-
tions. For 1895, the statistics included for the first time
information on countries of destination or origin, and in 1909
data on import prices was improved further still when pur-
chase prices abroad plus freight and insurance cost (cif
prices) began being reported instead of retail prices alone as
before.
The external trade publications have been compiled by the
staff of Statistics Iceland. Auður Ólína Svavarsdóttir is the
editor of the publications. In this publication Sigrún
Helgadóttir was responsible for the processing of tables, Þóra
Gylfadóttir prepared the text of customs tariff numbers
together with Margrét Káradóttir, who also prepared the
appendices, while English translations were in the hands of
Jónína M. Guðnadóttir. Sigurborg Steingrímsdóttir was in
charge of the lay-out.
Statistics Iceland in May 1995
Hallgrímur Snorrason