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

Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Germany was 37.69 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 50 years was 41.13 in 2018, while its lowest value was 16.18 in 1972.

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
1970 16.58
1971 16.28
1972 16.18
1973 16.35
1974 18.72
1975 18.80
1976 20.30
1977 20.12
1978 19.54
1979 21.40
1980 23.23
1981 24.05
1982 23.52
1983 23.28
1984 24.52
1985 24.98
1986 21.66
1987 21.01
1988 21.44
1989 22.92
1990 23.03
1991 24.15
1992 22.70
1993 20.26
1994 20.95
1995 21.59
1996 22.15
1997 24.28
1998 25.18
1999 26.41
2000 30.68
2001 30.22
2002 28.34
2003 29.04
2004 30.51
2005 32.86
2006 36.02
2007 36.55
2008 37.73
2009 33.11
2010 37.30
2011 40.15
2012 40.21
2013 39.66
2014 39.00
2015 39.33
2016 38.70
2017 40.07
2018 41.13
2019 40.98
2020 37.69

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