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

Imports of goods and services (% of GDP) in Switzerland was 53.55 as of 2020. Its highest value over the past 40 years was 59.51 in 2013, while its lowest value was 35.88 in 1994.

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 48.36
1981 47.52
1982 43.62
1983 43.91
1984 44.28
1985 45.01
1986 42.93
1987 39.71
1988 40.91
1989 43.40
1990 40.95
1991 38.21
1992 37.94
1993 36.64
1994 35.88
1995 36.02
1996 37.48
1997 41.67
1998 41.82
1999 42.46
2000 45.84
2001 45.08
2002 42.28
2003 41.58
2004 42.87
2005 46.90
2006 48.25
2007 50.31
2008 52.27
2009 50.10
2010 53.48
2011 57.20
2012 56.66
2013 59.51
2014 52.48
2015 50.73
2016 54.05
2017 54.19
2018 53.82
2019 53.68
2020 53.55

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