Book excerpt: The FAO Statistical Yearbook 2013 is the foremost collection and reference point for statistical data on food and agriculture globally. It provides a snapshot of related economic, environmental and social trends and issues. It breaks down a myriad of numbers gathered from around the world into four broad thematic categories: the state of the agricultural resource base, hunger dimensions, feeding the world and sustainability. A must-have publication for every researcher, statistician, academic and everyone interested in agricultural statistics.