External Trade Data Platform for the Arab Region
Pavel Nefir
The External Trade Data Platform for the Arab Region – ESCWA is an advanced web-based data visualization system designed to analyze and present trade statistics across Arab countries. Built using Vue.js, Chart.js, and Ruby on Rails, this platform provides an intuitive, interactive, and scalable solution for governments, policymakers, and businesses to explore trade trends, export-import relationships, and economic indicators.
Key Objectives
Provide an interactive, real-time dashboard for visualizing external trade data
Enable users to compare trade flows between Arab countries and global markets
Offer customizable data filtering & analysis tools
Ensure scalability to accommodate large datasets from various economic sectors
Support multiple data sources, including government trade reports, customs data, and UN databases
Technologies Used
Frontend (Visualization & User Interface)
Vue.js → Developed a dynamic, reactive user interface
Chart.js → Implemented interactive graphs & trade data visualizations
Vuex / Pinia → Managed application state efficiently
Tailwind CSS → Designed a modern and responsive UI
Backend (Data Processing & APIs)
Ruby on Rails (API Mode) → Built a RESTful API to handle data processing
PostgreSQL → Stored and managed large-scale trade data
Active Record & SQL Queries → Optimized data retrieval and aggregation
Background Jobs (Sidekiq / Resque) → Processed large datasets asynchronously
Redis → Implemented caching to enhance API performance
Core Features & Functionalities
1. Interactive Trade Data Dashboard
Displays real-time trade statistics for exports, imports, and trade balance
Allows users to filter data by country, sector, year, and trade partners
Provides multi-chart views (bar charts, line graphs, pie charts)
2. Custom Data Filtering & Drill-Down Analysis
Users can refine data using search filters (e.g., commodities, industries, time periods)
Supports drill-down analysis (e.g., selecting a country to view sector-specific trade data)
3. Regional & Global Trade Comparisons
Compare trade performance across Arab countries
Analyze bilateral trade agreements and global market trends
View historical trends for economic forecasting
5. API-Driven Data Integration
Integrated UN trade databases, World Bank data, and local government sources
Processed and aggregated millions of trade records using Rails background jobs
Provided a public API for researchers and businesses to access trade data
6. PDF & CSV Export for Reports
Generated custom trade reports in PDF & CSV format
Enabled real-time data sharing with policymakers and economic analysts
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Posted Mar 13, 2025
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia - External Trade Data Platform for the Arab Region
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