GTAP is formulated and solved using GEMPACK, a flexible system for solving AGE models. RunGTAP, a program
developed by Mark Horridge at the Centre of Policy
Studies, Monash University, is a visual interface to various GEMPACK programs.
RunGTAP allows the user to run simulations interactively in a Windows environment using the GTAP general
equilibrium model. No previous knowledge of the GEMPACK language or programming skills is necessary to use the
program. Results and complementary information for the analysis are also provided in a Windows environment and
can be accessed interactively.
RunGTAP will run the standard GTAP Model with any GTAP Data Base which is not too large. To use larger data
bases, or to modify the equations of the GTAP model, or to modify the standard condensation of the GTAP Model,
you will also need a GEMPACK license (of which there are
several types). For more information
about GEMPACK licenses, please contact the
Centre of Policy Studies, Monash
University.
The RunGTAP contains the condensed (standard) and uncondensed version of the
GTAP Model. To change to the uncondensed version click on version
| modules and then on GTAP under global settings. This will allow you to select GTAPU.tab - the
uncondensed version. For further information on RunGTAP and on condensation see:
This document provides several examples of hands-on computing you can carry out to familiarize
yourself with the RunGTAP and GEMPACK software. In Part A, the Examples are directed at finding out
about the data in a GTAP Data Base. In Part B, the Examples are directed at carrying out
simulations with GTAP. Part C describes how you can make a new version (that is, aggregation of the
GTAP Data Base) for use with RunGTAP. Part D assumes you already know something of GEMPACK--it
tells how you can adapt and run your own economic models within RunGTAP. Part E tells you how can
find out more about RunGTAP and GEMPACK, and mention hands-on computing you may like to try with
models other than GTAP.
An online tutorial for RunGTAP is now available. Click the link below to watch this video.
The RunGTAP program included here contains a number of applications listed below and other
applications can be downloaded from the website. Some of the other applications used in
GTAP Short Courses are also listed below.
RunGTAP Applications included in the download
ACRS3x3: Short course 3x3 application
ASA7x7: Short course 7x7 application
ASADEFTA: GTAP Course 7x5 Aggregation with S.Africa-Rest of Southern Africa (SADC) FTA in place
ASAEUFTA: GTAP COURSE 7x5 Aggregation with South Africa-EU FTA
ASAEUSDC: GTAP COURSE 7x5 Aggregation with SA-EU and SADC FTAs in place
SSA: Systematic Sensitivity Analysis using RunGTAP, Application from Channing Arndt and Thomas
Hertel in their paper titled: "Revisiting the fallacy of free trade", published in the Review
of International Economics 5(2): 221-229. See below for more details on SSA.
Other Programs and Features of RunGTAP
Under the View drop-down menu, users can select a number of useful programs/options to run with
their experiments:
AnalyseGE
AnalyseGE is a new software tool which is aimed at assisting modelers to move quickly between
these different information sources. The AnalyseGE interface gives users "point and click"
access to the equations of the model,the data, and the simulation results. This greatly reduces
the burden associated with analyzing simulations, and offers the potential for significantly
boosting the productivity of applied general equilibrium modelers. AnalyseGE may be downloaded
for free from the CoPS
website. AnalyseGE is documented in AnalyseGE;
Software assisting Modellers in the Analysis
of their results, by Pearson, Hertel and Horridge
GTAPView
This is a program that organizes the GTAP Data Base in such a way that it is simple to view
certain important economic variables in a tabular form. For example, by using VIEWHAR's
facilities for creating row, column, and matrix shares, the user can quickly obtain information
about a given country's share of consumption in GDP, or the cost share of electricity in iron
and steel production.
Volume Results
In addition to the welfare decomposition, users can also get the volume results associated with
the equilibrium percentage changes in output. These may be interpreted as volume changes
measured in millions of US dollars at base period prices.
Welfare Decomposition
After each simulation, a complete welfare decomposition can be provided using the program
developed by Wusheng Yu, based on the work of Huff and Hertel, as documented in
GTAP Technical Paper No. 5. The program
permits the user to break down the regional equivalent variation into its component parts,
including changes due to allocative efficiency, terms of trade, improved technology, and
endowments.
Subtotals
Users can also use the subtotals facility in RunGTAP to decompose the changes (or percentage
changes) in the endogenous variables as sums of the contributions made by the change in each
exogenous variable. Additional information can be obtained from
Decomposing Simulation Results with Respect
to Exogenous Shocks (2000), by Harrison,
J, Mark Horridge and
Ken Pearson, published in Computational
Economics.
RunGTAP Support
If you are experiencing problems or you have questions about using RunGTAP, we strongly encourage
you to look at the following support options:
