Geography of International Trade [antikvár]

Foundations of Economic Geography SeriesAmong the various fields of geography, economic geography, per-haps more than any other, has experienced remarkable changes withinthe past twenty yearsso many that it is almost impossible for one scholarto command all aspects of it. The result has been increasing specializa-tion on the one hand and, on the other, a fundamental need for bringingthe fruits of that specialization to students of economic geography.The Foundations of Economic Geography Series consists of severalvolumes, each focusing on a major problem in economic geography. It isdesigned to bring the student, whether novice or more experienced, tothe frontiers of knowledge in economic geography, and in so doing, force-fully to demonstrate the methodological implications of current researchbut at a level comprehensible even to those just becoming aware of thefascinating problems in the field as it is developing today.Each volume stands as a contribution to understanding in its ownright, but the series as a whole is intended to provide a broad cross-sectionof on-going research in economic geography, stemming from concernwith a variety of problems. On the other hand, the series should not beregarded as a complete synthesis of work in economic geography, al-though the volumes explore in depth certain major issues of keenestinterest to economic geographers and others in related fields to a degreeimpossible in textbooks that attempt to cover the entire field. At the sametime, the student is brought face-to-face with the kinds of intellectualInternational trade has been neglected by geographers. Clearly, re-search is needed in the entire spectrum of possible ideas associated withthe subject, ranging from critical evaluation of the composition, pattern,and trends of actual flows to, on the one hand, the creation of mathe-matical models and, on the other, the study of institutional "logistics andmechanics" facilitating or hindering the existing international demand-supply relationships. There is much room in this arena of interest forwidely differing approaches and techniques, no one of which may offera complete answer.It is hoped that this little volume will be not only of immediate usein adding to basic geographical knowledge of trends in internationaltrade up through the early 1960s, but also of longer-range value in stimu-lating much needed research into the topic. To maintain maximum com-parability, the authors have relied heavily upon data from the Yearbookof International Trade for selected years, as well as additional UnitedNations statistical sources listed in the Bibliography, accepting the nomen-clature of each volume as to specific meanings reported by each coun-try. While aware of certain inconsistencies in such data, the authorshave found no satisfactory substitute.Richard S. ThomanEdgar C. Conkling