@cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server
by cyanheads
README.md
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<h1>@cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server</h1>
<p><b>Access UN Comtrade international merchandise and services trade statistics — country lookups, HS commodity search, bilateral trade flows, balances, rankings, and data availability — via MCP. STDIO or Streamable HTTP.</b>
<div>9 Tools • 2 Resources</div>
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[](./CHANGELOG.md) [](./LICENSE) [](https://github.com/users/cyanheads/packages/container/package/un-comtrade-mcp-server) [](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) [](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server) [](https://www.typescriptlang.org/) [](https://bun.sh/)
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[](https://github.com/cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server/releases/latest/download/un-comtrade-mcp-server.mcpb) [](https://cursor.com/en/install-mcp?name=un-comtrade-mcp-server&config=eyJjb21tYW5kIjoibnB4IiwiYXJncyI6WyIteSIsIkBjeWFuaGVhZHMvdW4tY29tdHJhZGUtbWNwLXNlcnZlciJdfQ==) [](https://vscode.dev/redirect?url=vscode:mcp/install?%7B%22name%22%3A%22un-comtrade-mcp-server%22%2C%22command%22%3A%22npx%22%2C%22args%22%3A%5B%22-y%22%2C%22%40cyanheads%2Fun-comtrade-mcp-server%22%5D%7D)
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---
## Overview
International merchandise and services trade statistics from UN Comtrade. Resolve country and HS commodity codes, fetch bilateral trade flows and services trade, and compute balances, partner/commodity rankings, and data availability from any MCP client. Runs as a stdio process or a local Streamable HTTP server.
### Tools
| Tool | Description |
|:-----|:------------|
| `comtrade_lookup_countries` | Resolve country and area names to Comtrade M49 numeric codes. |
| `comtrade_search_commodities` | Find HS commodity codes by keyword, description, or code prefix. |
| `comtrade_list_service_categories` | List EBOPS 2010 service trade categories by keyword or parent code. |
| `comtrade_get_trade_flows` | Fetch bilateral trade flow records — value, quantity, and weight per period/commodity/partner. |
| `comtrade_get_trade_balance` | Compute a country's trade balance (exports minus imports) across one or more periods. |
| `comtrade_get_top_partners` | Rank trading partners by trade value for a reporter, commodity, and flow direction. |
| `comtrade_get_top_commodities` | Rank commodity categories by trade value for a reporter and flow direction. |
| `comtrade_get_data_availability` | Check which reporter/period/classification combinations have published data. |
| `comtrade_get_services_trade` | Fetch international trade-in-services data (EBOPS 2010). |
### Resources
| Resource | Description |
|:---------|:------------|
| `comtrade://countries` | Complete country/area code list with M49 codes, ISO identifiers, and reporter validity. |
| `comtrade://hs-classification/{level}` | Top-level HS commodity hierarchy at chapter, heading, or subheading level. |
Both resources are also reachable via tools — `comtrade_lookup_countries` and `comtrade_search_commodities` cover the same data with keyword search.
## Capability reference
### `comtrade_lookup_countries` <sub>tool</sub>
- Accepts a partial or full country name, or an ISO alpha-2/alpha-3 code; `role` filters to `"reporter"`, `"partner"`, or `"any"` (default)
- `validAsReporter` flag on each match — regional groupings (e.g. World, EU) are valid partners but not valid reporters
- `include_groups` (default `true`) toggles regional/economic groupings in the results
- Reference data loads from UN static files at startup — no subscription key required, instant response
---
### `comtrade_search_commodities` <sub>tool</sub>
- Free-text keyword, partial description, or code-prefix search; `classification` selects `HS` (combined dataset, default) or a specific edition `H0`–`H6`
- `aggr_level` narrows to `2` (chapter), `4` (heading), or `6` (subheading); omit for all levels
- Up to 200 results per call (`limit`, default 50); `truncated: true` when matches exceed the limit
- `recommendedQueryCode` on each result — the best code to pass as `cmd_code` in trade queries
---
### `comtrade_list_service_categories` <sub>tool</sub>
- Lists EBOPS 2010 service categories, optionally filtered by keyword or `parent_code`
- Up to 500 results per call (`limit`, default 100); `truncated: true` when matches exceed the limit
- Returned `id` is the `service_code` for `comtrade_get_services_trade`
---
### `comtrade_get_trade_flows` <sub>tool</sub>
- Requires `reporter_code`, `flow_code` (`M` import / `X` export / `RX` re-export / `RM` re-import), and 1–12 `period` values (`YYYY` or `YYYYMM`)
- `partner_code: 0` aggregates all partners (World total); omit for a per-partner breakdown
- `cmd_code[]` accepts up to 20 HS codes; omit or pass `"TOTAL"` for cross-commodity totals
- Free-tier cap of 500 records per call; `truncated: true` plus a `truncationHint` when the cap is hit
- `isReported` flags directly-reported rows vs. UN-estimated/aggregated ones; joins country and commodity descriptions from the startup reference cache
---
### `comtrade_get_trade_balance` <sub>tool</sub>
- Runs export (`X`) and import (`M`) fetches in parallel per period, then computes the balance locally
- Returns `balanceUsd` (signed), `exportsUsd`, `importsUsd`, and `coverageRatio` (exports / imports) per period
- Optional `cmd_code[]` (up to 20) restricts the balance to specific commodities
- `mirrorCaveat` on every response — the balance reflects this reporter's own values, not the mirror partner's
---
### `comtrade_get_top_partners` <sub>tool</sub>
- Fetches the full per-partner breakdown for one `reporter_code` + `flow_code` (`M`/`X`) + single `period`, then sorts locally by value
- Optional single `cmd_code`; omit for total merchandise trade
- Returns up to `limit` partners (max 50, default 10), each with `rank`, `primaryValueUsd`, and `sharePercent`
- `truncated: true` when the underlying fetch hit the 500-record cap
---
### `comtrade_get_top_commodities` <sub>tool</sub>
- Ranks commodity categories for one `reporter_code` + `flow_code` + single `period`
- `aggr_level` selects `2` (HS chapter, default) or `4` (heading); optional `partner_code` scopes to one bilateral relationship
- Returns up to `limit` categories (max 50, default 10), each with `rank`, `primaryValueUsd`, and `sharePercent`
- `truncated: true` when the underlying fetch hit the 500-record cap
---
### `comtrade_get_data_availability` <sub>tool</sub>
- All filters optional — `reporter_code`, `period`, `freq` (`A`/`M`, default `A`), `type_code` (`C` goods / `S` services, default `C`), `classification` (default `HS`)
- Returns per-dataset `totalRecords` and `publicationDate`; omit all filters to browse the full availability index
- Annual data typically publishes 3–12 months after the reference year — call this before querying recent periods
---
### `comtrade_get_services_trade` <sub>tool</sub>
- Same bilateral shape as `comtrade_get_trade_flows`: `reporter_code`, `flow_code` (`M`/`X`), 1–12 `period` values, optional `partner_code` (`0` for all partners combined)
- `service_code` filters to one EBOPS category; resolve it with `comtrade_list_service_categories`
- Free-tier cap of 500 records per call; `truncated: true` plus a `truncationHint` when the cap is hit
- Services trade has more limited country and period coverage than goods trade
---
### `comtrade://countries` <sub>resource</sub>
- Complete country/area list as `application/json` — M49 code, ISO identifiers, `validAsReporter`, and `isGroup`
- Loaded from the same startup reference cache `comtrade_lookup_countries` searches
---
### `comtrade://hs-classification/{level}` <sub>resource</sub>
- `level` path param accepts `2` (chapters), `4` (headings), or `6` (subheadings); any other value throws a validation error
- Returns each code's `description`, `parent`, and `isLeaf`; full leaf enumeration is too large to inject — use `comtrade_search_commodities` for keyword search
## Features
Built on [`@cyanheads/mcp-ts-core`](https://github.com/cyanheads/mcp-ts-core): stdio and Streamable HTTP transports, pluggable auth (`none` / `jwt` / `oauth`), swappable storage (`in-memory`, `filesystem`, `Supabase`, `Cloudflare KV/R2/D1`), structured logging with optional OpenTelemetry tracing.
Comtrade-specific:
- Reference data (country codes, HS hierarchy, EBOPS categories) loaded from UN static files at startup — keyword search with no per-request fetches
- Authenticated (`data/v1/get`) and public preview (`public/v1/preview`) endpoints — tools fall back to the preview endpoint when no subscription key is set
- Parallel sub-request execution in workflow tools (`comtrade_get_trade_balance` runs export and import fetches concurrently)
- Retry with exponential backoff on transient failures, honoring an upstream `Retry-After` header when present
- Description enrichment — joins country and HS/EBOPS names from the reference cache, covering the preview endpoint's omission of `*Desc` fields
Agent-friendly output:
- `truncated: true` plus a recovery hint on any response capped at the 500-record free-tier limit
- `isReported` flag on trade flow records distinguishes directly-reported values from UN-estimated/aggregated rows
- `validAsReporter` on country lookups prevents constructing invalid queries with partner-only area codes
- `mirrorCaveat` on trade-balance output surfaces the methodological caveat without parsing error text
## Getting started
> **Prerequisites:** A [UN Comtrade subscription key](https://comtradedeveloper.un.org/) is optional but recommended. Without one, tools fall back to the public preview endpoint (500 records/call, lower rate limit). With a free-tier key you get the same record cap but higher request headroom.
Add the following to your MCP client configuration file.
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"un-comtrade-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "bunx",
"args": ["@cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server@latest"],
"env": {
"MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio",
"MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info",
"COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY": "your-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
Or with npx (no Bun required):
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"un-comtrade-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server@latest"],
"env": {
"MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE": "stdio",
"MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "info",
"COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY": "your-key-here"
}
}
}
}
```
Or with Docker:
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"un-comtrade-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "docker",
"args": [
"run", "-i", "--rm",
"-e", "MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE=stdio",
"-e", "COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY=your-key-here",
"ghcr.io/cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server:latest"
]
}
}
}
```
For Streamable HTTP, set the transport and start the server:
```sh
MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE=http MCP_HTTP_PORT=3010 COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY=... bun run start:http
# Server listens at http://localhost:3010/mcp
```
### Prerequisites
- [Bun v1.4.0](https://bun.sh/) or higher (or Node.js v24+). Development and Docker images use Bun 1.4.0.
- Optional: a [UN Comtrade subscription key](https://comtradedeveloper.un.org/) for full API access. Without one, all tools fall back to the public preview endpoint (500 records/call). Reference/lookup tools (`comtrade_lookup_countries`, `comtrade_search_commodities`, `comtrade_list_service_categories`) never require a key — they query static UN reference files.
### Installation
1. **Clone the repository:**
```sh
git clone https://github.com/cyanheads/un-comtrade-mcp-server.git
```
2. **Navigate into the directory:**
```sh
cd un-comtrade-mcp-server
```
3. **Install dependencies:**
```sh
bun install
```
4. **Configure environment:**
```sh
cp .env.example .env
# edit .env and set COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY if you have one
```
## Configuration
All configuration is validated at startup via Zod schemas in `src/config/server-config.ts`.
| Variable | Description | Default |
|:---------|:------------|:--------|
| `COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY` | Azure API Management subscription key from [comtradedeveloper.un.org](https://comtradedeveloper.un.org). Without it, tools use the public preview endpoint (500-record cap). | — |
| `COMTRADE_API_BASE_URL` | Override the Comtrade API base URL. | `https://comtradeapi.un.org` |
| `MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE` | Transport: `stdio` or `http`. | `stdio` |
| `MCP_HTTP_PORT` | HTTP server port. | `3010` |
| `MCP_HTTP_ENDPOINT_PATH` | HTTP endpoint path. | `/mcp` |
| `MCP_PUBLIC_URL` | Public origin override for reverse-proxy deployments. | — |
| `MCP_SESSION_MODE` | HTTP session posture: `auto`, `stateful`, or `stateless`. No tool asks the caller for input mid-handler, so `src/index.ts` declares `stateless` and every deployment surface restates it. | `stateless` |
| `MCP_AUTH_MODE` | Auth mode: `none`, `jwt`, or `oauth`. | `none` |
| `MCP_LOG_LEVEL` | Log level (`debug`, `info`, `warning`, `error`). | `info` |
| `LOGS_DIR` | Directory for log files (Node.js only). | `<project-root>/logs` |
| `STORAGE_PROVIDER_TYPE` | Storage backend: `in-memory`, `filesystem`, `supabase`, `cloudflare-kv/r2/d1`. | `in-memory` |
| `OTEL_ENABLED` | Enable [OpenTelemetry instrumentation](https://github.com/cyanheads/mcp-ts-core/tree/main/docs/telemetry). | `false` |
See [`.env.example`](./.env.example) for the full list of optional overrides.
## Running the server
### Local development
- **Build and run:**
```sh
# One-time build
bun run rebuild
# Run the built server
bun run start:stdio
# or
bun run start:http
```
- **Run checks and tests:**
```sh
bun run devcheck # Lint, format, typecheck, security
bun run test # Vitest test suite
bun run lint:mcp # Validate MCP definitions against spec
```
### Docker
```sh
docker build -t un-comtrade-mcp-server .
docker run --rm -e COMTRADE_SUBSCRIPTION_KEY=your-key -p 3010:3010 un-comtrade-mcp-server
```
The Dockerfile defaults to HTTP transport, stateless session mode, and logs to `/var/log/un-comtrade-mcp-server`. OpenTelemetry peer dependencies are installed by default — build with `--build-arg OTEL_ENABLED=false` to omit them.
## Project structure
| Directory | Purpose |
|:----------|:--------|
| `src/index.ts` | `createApp()` entry point — registers tools, resources, and inits services. |
| `src/config` | Environment variable parsing and validation with Zod. |
| `src/mcp-server/tools` | Tool definitions (`*.tool.ts`). Nine tools across reference resolution, trade data, and workflow aggregations. |
| `src/mcp-server/resources` | Resource definitions (`*.resource.ts`). Country list and HS hierarchy resources. |
| `src/services/comtrade-data` | `ComtradeDataService` — authenticated/preview request builder with retry and key fallback. |
| `src/services/comtrade-reference` | `ComtradeReferenceService` — reference data loader (countries, HS, EBOPS), startup cache, keyword search. |
| `src/services/comtrade-meta` | `ComtradeMetaService` — data availability and dataset metadata endpoints. |
| `tests/` | Unit and integration tests mirroring `src/`. |
## Development guide
See [`CLAUDE.md`](./CLAUDE.md) for development guidelines and architectural rules. The short version:
- Handlers throw, framework catches — no `try/catch` in tool logic
- Use `ctx.log` for request-scoped logging, `ctx.state` for tenant-scoped storage
- Register new tools and resources via the barrels in `src/mcp-server/*/definitions/index.ts`
- Wrap external API calls: validate raw → normalize to domain type → return output schema; never fabricate missing fields
- Reference data (countries, HS codes) joins must pull from the startup cache, not per-request fetches
## Data license
The UN Comtrade license agreement (§5) prohibits redistributing data without prior written UN permission. Connect with your own Comtrade subscription key.
## Contributing
Issues are welcome. Run checks and tests before submitting:
```sh
bun run devcheck
bun run test
```
## License
Apache-2.0 — see [LICENSE](./LICENSE) for details.
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