A self-directed learning journey focused on international trade, global business, export-import operations, and international trade data analysis.
The goal of this repository is to build a practical understanding of how goods, services, capital, and businesses move across countries, while combining international business concepts with data analysis and programming.
- Understand the fundamental concepts of international trade
- Learn how export and import processes work in practice
- Understand international logistics and trade documentation
- Learn about tariffs, customs, HS codes, and trade regulations
- Understand international trade agreements and global institutions
- Study exchange rates and international finance
- Work with real-world export and import datasets
- Analyze trade flows between countries and products
- Identify trends and patterns in international trade
- Apply data analysis to global business decision-making
Topics: trade fundamentals, export vs. import, trade surplus/deficit, balance of trade, balance of payments, absolute advantage, comparative advantage, opportunity cost, specialization, globalization, domestic vs. international markets.
Key question: Why do countries trade with each other even when they are capable of producing the same products?
Study tip: Work through David Ricardo's comparative advantage example by hand before reading about it — it makes the logic click faster than any explanation.
Topics: exporters, importers, suppliers, buyers, trading companies, distributors, manufacturers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, customs authorities, ports, warehouses.
Export process:
Production
↓
Trade Agreement / Contract
↓
Documentation
↓
Customs Declaration
↓
Transportation
↓
Export Clearance
↓
International Shipment
↓
Import Clearance
↓
Distribution
↓
Final Customer
Trade documents: Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Bill of Lading, Certificate of Origin, Export Declaration, Import Declaration.
Incoterms to study: EXW, FCA, FOB, CFR, CIF, DAP, DDP — and how each determines cost allocation, transportation responsibility, insurance responsibility, risk transfer, and delivery obligations.
International payment methods: Letter of Credit (L/C), Telegraphic Transfer (T/T), Open Account, Documentary Collection, Trade Finance.
Practice exercise: Take one product and price it under three different Incoterms (EXW, FOB, DDP) to see how the quoted price and risk allocation change.
Topics: sea freight, air freight, rail transportation, road transportation, multimodal transportation, containerization, FCL, LCL, TEU, port of loading, port of discharge, bill of lading.
Logistics costs: freight, insurance, handling, storage, customs, duties, demurrage, detention.
Landed cost formula:
Product Cost
+
Transportation
+
Insurance
+
Customs & Duties
+
Handling
+
Other Costs
↓
Landed Cost
Topics: import/export duties, tariffs, VAT, excise, customs valuation, import/export restrictions, import/export licenses, quotas, rules of origin, non-tariff barriers.
Harmonized System (HS Codes): Learn how internationally traded products are classified using HS codes. HS codes allow trade data to be analyzed at the product level.
Example record:
Country: Indonesia
Partner: Japan
Product: Coffee
HS Code: 0901
Trade Flow: Export
Year: 2025
Value: USD X
Quantity: X kg
International organizations: World Trade Organization (WTO), World Customs Organization (WCO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, United Nations (UN), UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Trade agreements: ASEAN, AFTA, RCEP, ASEAN-China trade relations, ASEAN-Japan trade relations, Indonesia-Australia CEPA, Indonesia-EU trade relations.
Key questions:
- Why do countries create free trade agreements?
- How do trade agreements affect tariffs?
- How can FTAs affect exporters and importers?
- How can businesses take advantage of preferential tariffs?
Topics: exchange rates, currency appreciation/depreciation, foreign exchange, currency risk, inflation, interest rates, Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), hedging, exchange-rate effects on exports and imports.
Example chain of effects:
Rupiah Depreciation
↓
Indonesian Goods Become Relatively Cheaper Abroad
↓
Potentially Higher Export Competitiveness
↓
Potential Increase in Export Demand
The objective of this chapter is to understand and analyze real-world export and import data.
Core trade data dimensions:
| Dimension | Example |
|---|---|
| Reporter | Indonesia |
| Partner | Japan |
| Trade Flow | Export |
| Product | Coffee |
| HS Code | 0901 |
| Year | 2025 |
| Trade Value | USD |
| Quantity | kg |
| Unit | USD/kg |
Core questions:
- What are Indonesia's largest export products?
- What are Indonesia's largest import products?
- Who are Indonesia's largest trading partners?
- Which countries are becoming more important?
- Which products are growing the fastest?
- Which products have persistent trade deficits?
- Which products have persistent trade surpluses?
Suggested data sources: UN Comtrade, BPS (Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia), Trade Map (ITC), WITS (World Bank).
Apply programming and data analysis to trade datasets.
Descriptive analysis: total exports, total imports, trade balance, export destinations, import sources, product composition, market share.
Comparative analysis example:
Indonesia → China
Indonesia → Japan
Indonesia → United States
Indonesia → European Union
Compare trade value, growth, product composition, market share, and trade balance across these relationships.
Time-series analysis: annual growth, monthly trends, CAGR, long-term changes, structural changes, seasonality.
Connect trade data with actual business decisions.
Topics: international market entry, market selection, market attractiveness, competitor analysis, global sourcing, supply chain strategy, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), multinational corporations, political risk, country risk, market risk, global business strategy.
Progression of the analysis:
"What happened?" → "Why did it happen?" → "What should a business do about it?"
A practical project combining international trade, economics, data analysis, and programming.
Objective: Analyze Indonesia's international trade patterns and identify important trends, products, markets, and potential business opportunities.
Analysis scope:
- Countries — top export destinations, top import sources
- Products — top exported/imported products, HS-code-level analysis
- Time — historical trends, year-over-year growth, CAGR
- Trade metrics — export value, import value, trade balance, quantity, unit price, growth rate, market share
Use this framework whenever analyzing trade data:
WHO → Indonesia
SELLS/BUYS WHAT? → Product / HS Code
TO/FROM WHOM? → Trade Partner
HOW MUCH? → Value / Quantity / Unit Price
WHEN? → Year / Month
WHY? → Economic & Business Factors
SO WHAT? → Business Implication
| Area | Skills |
|---|---|
| Programming | Python |
| Data Analysis | Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, Scikit-learn |
| Data Processing | Data cleaning, transformation, EDA, statistical analysis, time-series analysis |
| Visualization | Trend analysis, trade flow visualization, country/product comparison, market share analysis |
| Future Skills | SQL, Power BI, advanced data visualization, econometrics, forecasting, geospatial analysis |
| # | Project | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Indonesia Trade Overview | Total exports, imports, and trade balance |
| 02 | Indonesia's Top Trading Partners | Most important export and import partners |
| 03 | Indonesia's Top Export Products | Largest export products by HS code |
| 04 | Product-Level Trade Analysis | Tracking specific commodities across countries and time |
| 05 | Trade Growth Analysis | Products and countries with the fastest growth |
| 06 | Export Market Opportunity Analysis | Identifying attractive international markets |
| 07 | Trade Flow Dashboard | Interactive dashboard for exploring Indonesia's trade |
| 08 | Tariff & FTA Impact Analysis | How preferential tariffs under RCEP/ASEAN agreements affect specific products |
| 09 | Exchange Rate & Export Competitiveness | Correlating rupiah movements with export volumes by sector |
Build the ability to combine international trade knowledge with data analysis to understand global markets and support business decisions — moving from descriptive questions ("What does Indonesia trade? Who does it trade with? How is trade changing?") to explanatory and strategic ones ("Why is it changing? Which markets and products present opportunities? What can businesses do with this information?").
international-trade/
│
├── README.md
│
├── 01-foundations/
├── 02-export-import/
├── 03-trade-terms/
├── 04-logistics/
├── 05-customs-hs-codes/
├── 06-trade-agreements/
├── 07-international-finance/
│
├── 08-trade-data/
│ ├── datasets/
│ ├── data-cleaning/
│ └── data-dictionary/
│
├── 09-data-analysis/
│ ├── exploratory-analysis/
│ ├── country-analysis/
│ ├── product-analysis/
│ └── time-series/
│
├── 10-global-business/
│
└── projects/
├── indonesia-trade-overview/
├── trading-partners/
├── export-products/
└── market-opportunity/
Status: In Progress Focus: International Trade, Export & Import Data, Global Business, and Data Analysis