Oil Demand in Asian Developing Countries

This report describes recent changes in oil demand, the underlying causes of those changes, and assesses future trends for the major Asian developing countries (excluding China). This historical period covered is 1973 -83, with the main focus on the period for which we had sectoral data for all of the countries, 1978-1983. Unlike studies which focus on the effect of prices and income on the demand for oil, our research examines the physical determinants of oil demand by sector. We use indicators in each sector to relate oil demand to structural change. Understanding this relationship will allow development of better forecasts and policy tools for improved management of demand.