Balance of Payments Compilation Guide

The Balance of Payments Compilation Guide (the Guide) is a companion document to the Balance of Payments Manual (the Manual) the fifth edition of which was published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1993. The primary purpose of the Guide is to provide practical direction for using sources and methods to compile statistics on the balance of payments and the international investment position. The Manual reflects important changes in international transactions (e.g., liberalization in financial markets, unprecedented growth in the volume of international trade in services, innovations in creation and packaging of financial instruments, and new approaches to restructuring external debt). The Guide reflects the emergence of new data sources and adaptations in the application of statistical methodologies to changing circumstances.