Bhutan - Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)

Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Bhutan was 46.45 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 40 years was 72.44 in 2010, while its lowest value was 33.25 in 1990.

Definition: Imports of goods and services represent the value of all goods and other market services received from the rest of the world. They include the value of merchandise, freight, insurance, transport, travel, royalties, license fees, and other services, such as communication, construction, financial, information, business, personal, and government services. They exclude compensation of employees and investment income (formerly called factor services) and transfer payments.

Source: World Bank national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files.

See also:

Year Value
1980 39.73
1981 50.54
1982 50.25
1983 48.37
1984 47.61
1985 53.94
1986 55.20
1987 39.72
1988 51.21
1989 39.58
1990 33.25
1991 42.51
1992 58.37
1993 45.90
1994 41.22
1995 44.48
1996 47.62
1997 47.91
1998 51.25
1999 53.21
2000 49.96
2001 49.29
2002 50.86
2003 52.34
2004 64.00
2005 66.22
2006 60.72
2007 58.66
2008 59.40
2009 63.75
2010 72.44
2011 72.20
2012 64.54
2013 63.77
2014 58.87
2015 63.45
2016 53.79
2017 51.12
2018 53.37
2019 48.19
2020 46.45

Limitations and Exceptions: Because policymakers have tended to focus on fostering the growth of output, and because data on production are easier to collect than data on spending, many countries generate their primary estimate of GDP using the production approach. Moreover, many countries do not estimate all the components of national expenditures but instead derive some of the main aggregates indirectly using GDP (based on the production approach) as the control total. Data on exports and imports are compiled from customs reports and balance of payments data. Although the data from the payments side provide reasonably reliable records of cross-border transactions, they may not adhere strictly to the appropriate definitions of valuation and timing used in the balance of payments or corresponds to the change-of ownership criterion. This issue has assumed greater significance with the increasing globalization of international business. Neither customs nor balance of payments data usually capture the illegal transactions that occur in many countries. Goods carried by travelers across borders in legal but unreported shuttle trade may further distort trade statistics.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: Gross domestic product (GDP) from the expenditure side is made up of household final consumption expenditure, general government final consumption expenditure, gross capital formation (private and public investment in fixed assets, changes in inventories, and net acquisitions of valuables), and net exports (exports minus imports) of goods and services. Such expenditures are recorded in purchaser prices and include net taxes on products.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

Classification

Topic: Economic Policy & Debt Indicators

Sub-Topic: National accounts