The International Comparisons Program (ICP) is a global statistical initiative established to produce internationally comparable price levels, expenditure values, and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) estimates. The underlying goal of the Program and related statistical activities is to provide meaningful data to guide the implementation of policy that will lead to the reduction of the number of people living in poverty. All the major international development agencies, including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) use PPP data (Purchasing Power Parity takes into account the cost of a common basket of goods in the countries being compared) to analyze economic and social conditions within their areas of concern. The ICP offers them a powerful tool for comparative research on economic and social development.
