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© Marcel Crozet/ ILO
© Marcel Crozet/ ILO

International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC)

Table of Contents

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Introduction

ISIC is a standard classification of economic activities arranged so that entities can be classified according to the activity they carry out. The categories of ISIC at the most detailed level (classes) are delineated according to what is, in most countries, the customary combination of activities described in statistical units and considers the relative importance of the activities included in these classes. While the latest version, ISIC Rev.4, continues to use criteria such as input, output and use of the products produced, more emphasis has been given to the character of the production process in defining and delineating ISIC classes.

The groups and divisions, the successively broader levels of classification, combine the activities of producing units according to: similarities in the character of the goods and services produced, the uses to which the goods and services are put, and the inputs, process and technology of production.

Wide use has been made of ISIC, both nationally and internationally, in classifying data according to kind of economic activity in the fields of production, employment, gross domestic product and other statistical areas. ISIC is a basic tool for studying economic phenomena, fostering international comparability of data, providing guidance for the development of national classifications and for promoting the development of sound national statistical systems.

Broad sector concordance with ISIC

Aggregate Economic ActivitySections ISIC- Rev. 4Sections ISIC- Rev. 3Sections ISIC- Rev. 2
AgricultureAA, B1
Non AgricultureIndustryManufacturingCD3
ConstructionFF5
Mining and quarrying; Electricity, gas and water supplyB, D, EC, E2, 4
ServicesMarket Services (Trade; Transportation; Accommodation and food; and Business and administrative services)G, H, I, J, K, L, M, NG, H, I, J, K6, 7, 8
Non-market services (Public administration; Community, Social and other services and activities)O, P, Q, R, S, T, UL, M, N, O, P, Q9
Not elsewhere classifiedX0

ISIC Rev. 4

A. Agriculture; forestry and fishing

01 – Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities

02 – Forestry and logging

03 – Fishing and aquaculture

B. Mining and quarrying

05 – Mining of coal and lignite

06 – Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas

07 – Mining of metal ores

08 – Other mining and quarrying

09 – Mining support service activities

C. Manufacturing

10 – Manufacture of food products

11 – Manufacture of beverages

12 – Manufacture of tobacco products

13 – Manufacture of textiles

14 – Manufacture of wearing apparel

15 – Manufacture of leather and related products

16 – Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials

17 – Manufacture of paper and paper products

18 – Printing and reproduction of recorded media

19 – Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products

20 – Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products

21 – Manufacture of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products

22 – Manufacture of rubber and plastics products

23 – Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products

24 – Manufacture of basic metals

25 – Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment

26 – Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products

27 – Manufacture of electrical equipment

28 – Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.

29 – Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers

30 – Manufacture of other transport equipment

31 – Manufacture of furniture

32 – Other manufacturing

33 – Repair and installation of machinery and equipment

D. Electricity; gas, steam and air conditioning supply

35 – Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

E. Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

36 – Water collection, treatment and supply

37 – Sewerage

38 – Waste collection, treatment and disposal activities; materials recovery

39 – Remediation activities and other waste management services

F. Construction

41 – Construction of buildings

42 – Civil engineering

43 – Specialized construction activities

G. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

45 – Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

46 – Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

47 – Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

H. Transportation and storage

49 – Land transport and transport via pipelines

50 – Water transport

51 – Air transport

52 – Warehousing and support activities for transportation

53 – Postal and courier activities

I. Accommodation and food service activities

55 – Accommodation

56 – Food and beverage service activities

J. Information and communication

58 – Publishing activities

59 – Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities

60 – Programming and broadcasting activities

61 – Telecommunications

62 – Computer programming, consultancy and related activities

63 – Information service activities

K. Financial and insurance activities

64 – Financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding

65 – Insurance, reinsurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security

66 – Activities auxiliary to financial service and insurance activities

L. Real estate activities

68 – Real estate activities

M. Professional, scientific and technical activities

69 – Legal and accounting activities

70 – Activities of head offices; management consultancy activities

71 – Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis

72 – Scientific research and development

73 – Advertising and market research

74 – Other professional, scientific and technical activities

75 – Veterinary activities

N. Administrative and support service activities

77 – Rental and leasing activities

78 – Employment activities

79 – Travel agency, tour operator, reservation service and related activities

80 – Security and investigation activities

81 – Services to buildings and landscape activities

82 – Office administrative, office support and other business support activities

O. Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

84 – Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

P. Education

85 – Education

Q. Human health and social work activities

86 – Human health activities

87 – Residential care activities

88 – Social work activities without accommodation

R. Arts, entertainment and recreation

90 – Creative, arts and entertainment activities

91 – Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities

92 – Gambling and betting activities

93 – Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities

S. Other service activities

94 – Activities of membership organizations

95 – Repair of computers and personal and household goods

96 – Other personal service activities

T. Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use

97 – Activities of households as employers of domestic personnel

98 – Undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of private households for own use

U. Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies

99 – Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies
Not elsewhere classified

X. Not elsewhere classified

ISIC Rev. 3

A. Agriculture, hunting and forestry

01 – Agriculture, hunting and related service activities

02 – Forestry, logging and related service activities

B. Fishing

05 – Fishing, aquaculture and service activities incidental to fishing

C. Mining and quarrying

10 – Mining of coal and lignite; extraction of peat

11 – Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas; service activities incidental to oil and gas extraction, excluding surveying

12 – Mining of uranium and thorium ores

13 – Mining of metal ores

14 – Other mining and quarrying

D. Manufacturing

15 – Manufacture of food products and beverages

16 – Manufacture of tobacco products

17 – Manufacture of textiles

18 – Manufacture of wearing apparel; dressing and dyeing of fur

19 – Tanning and dressing of leather; manufacture of luggage, handbags, saddlery, harness and footwear

20 – Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials

21 – Manufacture of paper and paper products

22 – Publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media

23 – Manufacture of coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel

24 – Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products

25 – Manufacture of rubber and plastics products

26 – Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products

27 – Manufacture of basic metals

28 – Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment

29 – Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.

30 – Manufacture of office, accounting and computing machinery

31 – Manufacture of electrical machinery and apparatus n.e.c.

32 – Manufacture of radio, television and communication equipment and apparatus

33 – Manufacture of medical, precision and optical instruments, watches and clocks

34 – Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers

35 – Manufacture of other transport equipment

36 – Manufacture of furniture; manufacturing n.e.c.

37 – Recycling

E. Electricity, gas and water supply

40 – Electricity, gas, steam and hot water supply

41 – Collection, purification and distribution of water

F. Construction

45 – Construction

G. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods

50 – Sale, maintenance and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; retail sale of automotive fuel

51 – Wholesale trade and commission trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles

52 – Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles; repair of personal and household goods

H. Hotels and restaurants

55 – Hotels and restaurants

I. Transport, storage and communications

60 – Land transport; transport via pipelines

61 – Water transport

62 – Air transport

63 – Supporting and auxiliary transport activities; activities of travel agencies

64 – Post and telecommunications

J. Financial intermediation

65 – Financial intermediation, except insurance and pension funding

66 – Insurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security

67 – Activities auxiliary to financial intermediation

K. Real estate, renting and business activities

70 – Real estate activities

71 – Renting of machinery and equipment without operator and of personal and household goods

72 – Computer and related activities

73 – Research and development

74 – Other business activities

L. Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

75 – Public administration and defence; compulsory social security

M. Education

80 – Education

N. Health and social work

85 – Health and social work

O. Other community, social and personal service activities

90 – Sewage and refuse disposal, sanitation and similar activities

91 – Activities of membership organizations n.e.c.

92 – Recreational, cultural and sporting activities

93 – Other service activities

P. Activities of private households as employers and undifferentiated production activities of private households

95 – Activities of private households as employers of domestic staff

96 – Undifferentiated goods-producing activities of private households for own use

97 – Undifferentiated service-producing activities of private households for own use

Q. Extraterritorial organizations and bodies

99 – Extraterritorial organizations and bodies

X. Not elsewhere classified

ISIC Rev. 2

0. Activities not Adequately Defined

1. Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing

2. Mining and Quarrying

3. Manufacturing

4. Electricity, Gas and Water

5. Construction

6. Wholesale and Retail Trade and Restaurants and Hotels

7. Transport, Storage and Communication

8. Financing, Insurance, Real Estate and Business Services

9. Community, Social and Personal Services

Publications

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