(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-15 08:12

GENEVA -- Creative industries have emerged as one of the world's most dynamic economic sectors, offering vast opportunities for cultural, social and economic development, the U. N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said on Monday.

International trade in creative goods and services surged to 445.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2005 from 234.8 billion U.S. dollars in 1996, according to preliminary figures released by the agency.

Such trade grew at an unprecedented average rate of 8.7 percent a year in the period of 2000-2005, the figures show.

"This reflects the economic and cultural breadth of the creative industries, which span cultural heritage, the arts, media, creative services and design," UNCTAD said in a statement.

"Linking business, culture and technology, the creative economy holds potential for developing countries to transform untapped creative resources into growth," it added.

UNCTAD's definition of creative industries embraces activities ranging from traditional folk art, cultural festivities, books, paintings, music and performing arts to more technology-intensive sectors, such as design and the audiovisual industry, including film, television and radio.

Although developed countries continue to dominate the global market for creative products, exports of creative goods from developing countries increased sharply to 136.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2005 from 55.9 billion U.S. dollars in 1996.

"This mainly reflected the remarkable export performance of China, the world's leading exporter of creative goods in 2005, as well as strong gains elsewhere in Asia," UNCTAD said.

However, the picture was less positive in many other developing countries, particularly the least developed. Africa, for example, accounted for less than 1 percent of world trade in creative products in 2000-2005.