---
license: cc0-1.0
pretty_name: WTO Documents
size_categories:
- 1B<n<10B
---

# Dataset Card for WTO Documents Dataset

## Dataset Overview

**Title**: WTO Documents Dataset

**Source**: [World Trade Organization Documents Online](https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S005.aspx)

**Description**: The WTO Documents Dataset is a comprehensive collection of official documentation from the World Trade Organization (WTO). This dataset is sourced from the WTO's official Documents Online platform, which provides access to documents in the three official languages (English, French, and Spanish) from 1995 onwards. The dataset is updated daily and includes documents in PDF and Word formats. Each document is accompanied by a descriptive catalog record. The dataset offers extensive search capabilities, enabling users to retrieve documents based on various criteria such as symbol, country, topic, and full-text search within the document text.

## Contents and Structure

The dataset comprises a vast number of documents categorized and stored in 131 Parquet files named WTO_1 to WTO_131. The structure and contents of the dataset are as follows:

### General Statistics

- **Total number of words**: 1,676,595,872
- **Total number of entries**: 642,627
- **Average number of words per document**: 2,364.08
- **Number of zero-word documents**: 70,869
- **Total number of Parquet files**: 131

### Document Distribution

- **Average number of entries per Parquet file**: 4,906
- **Average number of zero-word documents per Parquet file**: 541

### Language Distribution (Sample of 10,000 documents)

| Language | Count |
|----------|-------|
| French (fr) | 3,027 |
| English (en) | 3,593 |
| Spanish (es) | 3,168 |
| Catalan (ca) | 10 |
| Chinese (Simplified) (zh-cn) | 33 |
| Portuguese (pt) | 22 |
| Korean (ko) | 31 |
| Arabic (ar) | 29 |
| Thai (th) | 10 |
| German (de) | 28 |
| Welsh (cy) | 1 |
| Italian (it) | 2 |
| Hebrew (he) | 5 |
| Ukrainian (uk) | 11 |
| Chinese (Traditional) (zh-tw) | 1 |
| Turkish (tr) | 7 |
| Romanian (ro) | 3 |
| Danish (da) | 1 |
| Swedish (sv) | 1 |
| Dutch (nl) | 1 |
| Indonesian (id) | 4 |
| Finnish (fi) | 2 |
| Croatian (hr) | 1 |
| Russian (ru) | 3 |
| Vietnamese (vi) | 3 |
| Greek (el) | 1 |
| Japanese (ja) | 1 |
| Czech (cs) | 1 |

### Search Interfaces

The WTO Documents Online platform provides seven different search interfaces to facilitate document retrieval:

1. **Recent Documents**: Access to the latest documents posted.
2. **Commonly-consulted**: Easy retrieval of regularly requested documents.
3. **Documents for Meetings**: List of formal and informal meetings of WTO bodies and associated documents.
4. **By Topic**: Search for documents by broad subject category.
5. **Notifications**: Search notification documents by notifying members and WTO legal requirements.
6. **Advanced Search**: Additional search criteria such as symbol, requirement topic, and classification. Full-text search capabilities are available.
7. **GATT Module**: Access to official documents issued under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Includes documents from the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations, with more documents to be added progressively.

## Licensing

The dataset is available under the [CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) license, which allows for free use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

## Author

This dataset has been compiled and maintained by PleIAs.

## Usage and Applications

The WTO Documents Dataset is an invaluable resource for researchers, policymakers, and legal professionals interested in international trade law and policy. It provides a comprehensive archive of WTO's official documentation, offering insights into trade negotiations, agreements, and disputes. The dataset's extensive search capabilities make it easy to navigate and retrieve specific documents, facilitating in-depth research and analysis.

This dataset card aims to provide an exhaustive overview of the WTO Documents Dataset, ensuring users have all necessary information to effectively utilize this resource in their work.