The paper explains part of the methodology that was used in the 2005 International Comparison Program (ICP) that compared the relative price levels and GDP levels across 146 countries and 5 regions. Each of the regions constructed its own set of Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) and relative...

The paper explains part of the methodology that was used in the 2005 International Comparison Program (ICP) that compared the relative price levels and GDP levels across 146 countries and 5 regions. This paper looks at the methodology which was used in order to calculate relative volumes and...

The paper discusses the three major problems that Deaton and Heston identify that make it difficult to construct consistent estimates of real output across countries: (i) the choice of a multilateral index number formula; (ii) weak national accounts estimates of country expenditures on the 155...