National income accounts: Measurement, practice, and welfare implications of the initial estimates of Kosovo's GDP

Abstract

This article reports estimates of Kosovo's GDP for 2000 based on a survey of household expenditures, the UN's government budget, customs data, and projections of international donor organizations' assistance and investment. Estimated per capita GDP was in the range of $1135-$1185, nearly three times the $400 World Bank estimate that had been conventionally used to guide policy and technical assistance designs. The article discusses the sources of the data, provides checks from macro-economic theory on their credibility, and prescribes statistical resources and policies to ensure a more systematic and conventional tracking of Kosovo's future aggregate economic activity.