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Groningen Growth and Development Centre
Faculty of Economics and Business
Groningen Growth and Development Centre Structural Change Previous Sector Databases

Africa Sector Database

ASD

Comparative studies of structural change and productivity growth have been hampered by the lack of a large-scale international database on output and productivity trends by sector in Africa. The Africa Sector Database (ASD) provides a long-run internationally comparable dataset for eleven Sub-Saharan African countries from 1960 onwards. Variables covered in the data set are annual series of value added, deflators, and persons employed (split by gender) for ten broad sectors of the economy. The Africa Sector Database is directly comparable to the GGDC 10-sector database for Asia and Latin America. Access to the data is provided below:

Attribution requirement : when using these data (for whatever purpose), please make the following reference:

  • de Vries, G.J., M.P. Timmer, and K. de Vries (2013). “Structural Transformation in Africa: Static gains, dynamic losses.” GGDC research memorandum 136. Forthcoming in the Journal of Development Studies.

License and funding
The database has been constructed with the financial support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the UK government’s Department for International Development (DFID) as part of the DFID/ESRC Growth program, grant agreement ES/J00960/1, PI Margaret McMillan, IFPRI.


Country and variable coverage in the ASD

ASD Acronym Country Value Added in current prices Value Added in constant prices Employment by sector
BWA Botswana 1964-2010 1964-2010 1964-2010
ETH Ethiopia 1961-2010 1961-2010 1961-2010
GHA Ghana 1960-2010 1960-2010 1960-2010
KEN Kenya 1960-2010 1964-2010 1969-2010
MWI Malawi 1960-2010 1966-2010 1966-2010
MUS Mauritius 1960-2010 1970-2010 1970-2010
NGA Nigeria 1960-2010 1960-2010 1960-2010
SEN Senegal 1960-2010 1970-2010 1970-2010
ZAF South Africa 1960-2010 1960-2010 1960-2010
TZA Tanzania 1960-2010 1960-2010 1960-2010
ZMB Zambia 1960-2010 1965-2010 1965-2010

Sectors covered in the ASD

ISIC Rev. 3.1 code ASD sector name ISIC Rev. 3.1 description
AtB Agriculture Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry, Fishing
C Mining Mining and Quarrying
D Manufacturing Manufacturing
E Utilities Electricity, Gas and Water supply
F Construction Construction
G+H Trade services Wholesale and Retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods, Hotels and Restaurants
I Transport services Transport, Storage and Communications
J+K Business services Financial Intermediation, Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities
70 Dwellings Owner occupied Dwellings (is part of Business services)
L,M,N Government services Public Administration and Defense, Education, Health and Social work
O,P Personal services Other Community, Social and Personal service activities, Activities of Private Households
TOT Total Economy Total Economy

Documentation

Sources and Methods

This document describes the general sources and methods used to construct the ASD, as well as the detailed sources and methods by country.

Last modified:07 December 2021 10.45 a.m.