Notes on CEPII’s distances measures

We have calculated and made available different measures of bilateral distances (in kms) available for most countries across the world (225 countries in the current version of the database). For most of them, different calculations of “intra-national distances” are also available. There are two distinct files: a country-specific one (geo_cepii.xls or geo_cepii.dta) and a bilateral one (dist_cepii.xls or dist_cepii.dta), including the set of different distance variables and common dummy variables used in gravity equations to identify particular links between countries such as colonial past, common languages, contiguity. A common use of those files is the estimation of gravity equations describing bilateral trade flows. We try to improve upon the existing similar datasets in terms of geographical coverage, measurement and number of variables provided.