Source: Observatory of Economic Complexity.
The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) – Trade measures the complexity (or sophistication) of a nation’s export structure. It is estimated from the standard deviation of the global average of trade diversity (number of different product classes) and ubiquity (number of other countries exporting the same product class). A high ECI indicates that a nation’s export structure is complex and diverse. The port system supporting such a structure involves multifunctional ports with a proponderance of container shipping. A low ECI indicates a limited variety of exports, often concerning raw materials, that are handled in bulk by monofunctional ports that are dominated by unidirectional (exports) flows.