Cover IMF Working Papers
Buy Book in Print
Intra-Arab Trade: Is it too Little?
Author:
Tarik Yousef null

Search for other papers by Tarik Yousef in
Current site
Google Scholar Close
and
Mr. Hassan Al-Atrash
Search for other papers by Mr. Hassan Al-Atrash in
Current site
Google Scholar Close
Series:
IMF Working Papers
Volume/Issue:
Volume 2000: Issue 010
Language:
English
Publication Date:
01 Jan 2000
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451842685.001
ISBN:
9781451842685
ISSN:
1018-5941
Pages:
20
Keywords:
WP; trade creation; Arab country; Arab countries; gravity model; trade; Mashreq country; trade diversion effect; reporting country; Andean Pact country; GCC country; oil-producing country; trade restrictiveness index; Exports; Imports; Gravity models; Trade barriers; Trade balance; Maghreb
Legal-disclaimer:
IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.
Download PDF (586.4 KB) Download Epub
This paper estimates a gravity model to address the issue of whether intra-Arab trade is too little. Although gravity models have been extensively used to measure bilateral trade among countries, they have—to the best of our knowledge—never been used to measure intra-Arab trade. Our results suggest that intra-Arab trade and Arab trade with the rest of the world are lower than what would be predicted by the gravity equation, suggesting considerable scope for regional—as well as multilateral—integration. The results also suggest that intra-GCC and intra-Maghreb trade are relatively low while the Mashreq countries exhibit a higher level of intragroup trade.
  • Collapse
  • Expand
Cover IMF Working Papers
IMF Working Papers
ISSN:
1018-5941
Publisher:
International Monetary Fund