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Economy Stats: compare key data on Taiwan & United States

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Definitions

  • Budget > Revenues: Revenues calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms
  • Budget surplus > + or deficit > -: This entry records the difference between national government revenues and expenditures, expressed as a percent of GDP. A positive (+) number indicates that revenues exceeded expenditures (a budget surplus), while a negative (-) number indicates the reverse (a budget deficit). Normalizing the data, by dividing the budget balance by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries and indicates whether a national government saves or borrows money. Countries with high budget deficits (relative to their GDPs) generally have more difficulty raising funds to finance expenditures, than those with lower deficits.
  • Debt > Government debt > Public debt, share of GDP: Public debt as % of GDP (CIA).

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • Distribution of family income > Gini index: This index measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country. The index is calculated from the Lorenz curve, in which cumulative family income is plotted against the number of families arranged from the poorest to the ric
  • Overview: This entry briefly describes the type of economy, including the degree of market orientation, the level of economic development, the most important natural resources, and the unique areas of specialization. It also characterizes major economic events and policy changes in the most recent 12 months and may include a statement about one or two key future macroeconomic trends.
  • Exports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  • Exports per capita: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Services: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by sector of origin, which shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not produce material goods.
  • GDP > Per capita: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • GDP > Per capita > PPP: This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year.
  • GDP > Purchasing power parity: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller.
  • Inflation rate > Consumer prices: This entry furnishes the annual percent change in consumer prices compared with the previous year's consumer prices.
  • Population below poverty line: National estimates of the percentage of the population lying below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations.
  • Public debt: This entry records the cumulatiive total of all government borrowings less repayments that are denominated in a country's home currency. Public debt should not be confused with external debt, which reflects the foreign currency liabilities of both the private and public sector and must be financed out of foreign exchange earnings.
  • Unemployment rate: This entry contains the percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
  • Fiscal year: The beginning and ending months for a country's accounting period of 12 months, which often is the calendar year but which may begin in any month. All yearly references are for the calendar year (CY) unless indicated as a noncalendar fiscal year (FY).
  • GDP > Composition by sector > Industry: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods produced by the industrial sector within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
  • Imports per capita: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Technology index: The technology index denotes the country's technological readiness. This index is created with such indicators as companies spending on R&D, the creativity of its scientific community, personal computer and internet penetration rates.
  • Population below poverty line > Per capita: National estimates of the percentage of the population lying below the poverty line are based on surveys of sub-groups, with the results weighted by the number of people in each group. Definitions of poverty vary considerably among nations. For example, rich nations generally employ more generous standards of poverty than poor nations. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Big Mac Index: Price of a McDonald's Big Mac in US Dollars at current exchange rates. January 12th, 2006.
  • GDP > Per capita > PPP per thousand people: This entry shows GDP on a purchasing power parity basis divided by population as of 1 July for the same year. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Exports > Commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued exported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  • Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  • Budget > Expenditures: Expenditures calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms
  • Budget > Revenues > Per capita: Revenues calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • Exports > Main exports: Country main exports.
  • Debt > External: Total public and private debt owed to non-residents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services.
  • Debt > External > Per capita: Total public and private debt owed to non-residents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • GDP > Composition by sector > Services: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final services produced within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
  • GDP > Composition by sector > Agriculture: The gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods produced by the agricultural sector within a nation in a given year. GDP dollar estimates in the Factbook are derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) calculations. See the CIA World Factbook for more information.
  • Industries: A rank ordering of industries starting with the largest by value of annual output.
  • GDP > Composition, by end use > Imports of goods and services: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by end use, which shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete.
    household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit institutions that serve households, on goods and services that are consumed by individuals. This includes consumption of both domestically produced and foreign goods and services.
    government consumption consists of government expenditures on goods and services. These figures exclude government transfer payments, such as interest on debt, unemployment, and social security, since such payments are not made in exchange for goods and services supplied.
    investment in fixed capital consists of total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Earlier editions of The World Factbook referred to this concept as Investment (gross fixed) and that data now have been moved to this new field.
    investment in inventories consists of net changes to the stock of outputs that are still held by the units that produce them, awaiting further sale to an end user, such as automobiles sitting on a dealer’s lot or groceries on the store shelves. This figure may be positive or negative. If the stock of unsold output increases during the relevant time period, investment in inventories is positive, but, if the stock of unsold goods declines, it will be negative. Investment in inventories normally is an early indicator of the state of the economy. If the stock of unsold items increases unexpectedly – because people stop buying - the economy may be entering a recession; but if the stock of unsold items falls - and goods "go flying off the shelves" - businesses normally try to replace those stocks, and the economy is likely to accelerate.
    exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants of goods and services from residents to nonresidents.
    imports of goods and ...
    Full definition
  • Labor force: This entry contains the total labor force figure.
  • GDP > Real growth rate: GDP growth on an annual basis adjusted for inflation and expressed as a percent.
  • Debt > Government debt > Gross government debt, share of GDP: Gross government debt as % of GDP (IMF).

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • Economic freedom: Index of 'economic freedom', according to the American organisation 'The Heritage Foundation'. It is worth noting that such indices are based on highly culturally contingent factors. This data makes a number of assumptions about 'freedom' and the role of the government that are not accepted by much of the world's population. A broad discussion of The Heritage Foundation's definition and methodology can be found at http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/ChapterPDFs/chapter5.HTML.
  • Stock of direct foreign investment > At home: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares.
  • Current account balance: This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  • Currency: The national medium of exchange and its basic sub-unit.
  • GDP > Purchasing power parity > Per capita: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • Business > Companies > Corporate governance (overall rating): Overall rating of each country's adherence to the corporate governance guidelines set forth in three prominent economical essays. The ratings are out of 10, with 10 meaning full adherence.
  • Gross national saving: Gross national saving is derived by deducting final consumption expenditure (household plus government) from Gross national disposable income, and consists of personal saving, plus business saving (the sum of the capital consumption allowance and retained business profits), plus government saving (the excess of tax revenues over expenditures), but excludes foreign saving (the excess of imports of goods and services over exports). The figures are presented as a percent of GDP. A negative number indicates that the economy as a whole is spending more income than it produces, thus drawing down national wealth (dissaving).
  • Exchange rates: The official value of a country's monetary unit at a given date or over a given period of time, as expressed in units of local currency per US dollar and as determined by international market forces or official fiat.
  • Size of economy > Share of world GDP : Percent of world GDP (exchange rates).

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • Exports > Partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  • GDP > Official exchange rate: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at offical exchange rates (OER) is the home-currency-denominated annual GDP figure divided by the bilateral average US exchange rate with that country in that year. The measure is simple to compute and gives a precise measure of the value of output. Many economists prefer this measure when gauging the economic power an economy maintains vis-a-vis its neighbors, judging that an exchange rate captures the purchasing power a nation enjoys in the international marketplace. Official exchange rates, however, can be artifically fixed and/or subject to manipulation - resulting in claims of the country having an under- or over-valued currency - and are not necessarily the equivalent of a market-determined exchange rate. Moreover, even if the official exchange rate is market-determined, market exchange rates are frequently established by a relatively small set of goods and services (the ones the country trades) and may not capture the value of the larger set of goods the country produces. Furthermore, OER-converted GDP is not well suited to comparing domestic GDP over time, since appreciation/depreciation from one year to the next will make the OER GDP value rise/fall regardless of whether home-currency-denominated GDP changed.
  • Investment > Gross fixed: This entry records total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes invesment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital.
  • GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Industry: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by sector of origin, which shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not produce material goods.
  • GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Agriculture: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by sector of origin, which shows where production takes place in an economy. The distribution gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete. Agriculture includes farming, fishing, and forestry. Industry includes mining, manufacturing, energy production, and construction. Services cover government activities, communications, transportation, finance, and all other private economic activities that do not produce material goods.
  • Investment > External financial assets per capita: Financial assets in 2013 EUR billions. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • IKEA > First store opening year: Date the first IKEA store, a home products retail chain, was opened in different countries.
  • Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: This entry gives the dollar value for the stock of all financial assets that are available to the central monetary authority for use in meeting a country's balance of payments needs as of the end-date of the period specified. This category includes not only foreign currency and gold, but also a country's holdings of Special Drawing Rights in the International Monetary Fund, and its reserve position in the Fund.
  • GDP > Composition, by end use > Household consumption: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by end use, which shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete.
    household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit institutions that serve households, on goods and services that are consumed by individuals. This includes consumption of both domestically produced and foreign goods and services.
    government consumption consists of government expenditures on goods and services. These figures exclude government transfer payments, such as interest on debt, unemployment, and social security, since such payments are not made in exchange for goods and services supplied.
    investment in fixed capital consists of total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Earlier editions of The World Factbook referred to this concept as Investment (gross fixed) and that data now have been moved to this new field.
    investment in inventories consists of net changes to the stock of outputs that are still held by the units that produce them, awaiting further sale to an end user, such as automobiles sitting on a dealer’s lot or groceries on the store shelves. This figure may be positive or negative. If the stock of unsold output increases during the relevant time period, investment in inventories is positive, but, if the stock of unsold goods declines, it will be negative. Investment in inventories normally is an early indicator of the state of the economy. If the stock of unsold items increases unexpectedly – because people stop buying - the economy may be entering a recession; but if the stock of unsold items falls - and goods "go flying off the shelves" - businesses normally try to replace those stocks, and the economy is likely to accelerate.
    exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants of goods and services from residents to nonresidents.
    imports of goods and ...
    Full definition
    .
  • Investment > External financial assets: Gross financial assets privately owned by residents of the country, mainly in the form of bank deposits, insurances and securities, in EUR.
  • Industrial production growth rate: This entry gives the annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
  • Industrial > Production growth rate: The annual percentage increase in industrial production (includes manufacturing, mining, and construction).
  • Debt > Interest rates > Central bank discount rate: Compares the annualized interest rate set by centrals banks over loans requested by commercial banks to meet temporary shortages of funds. Through these loans, central banks can influence the commercial banks' interest rates as a tool of monetary policy. Usually their interest rates are lower than the ones offered by commercial banks, which lend it at a higher rate to make their profit.
  • Business > Companies > Specific companies > IKEA > Debut: The year in which the first IKEA opened in each country. The first IKEA opened in Sweden in 1958.
  • Trade > Imports: This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.
  • Oil > Exports: This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
    Additional details:
    • Bahamas, The: transshipments of 41,570 bbl/day (2007)
    • Bahamas, The: transshipments of 41,610 bbl/day (2009)
  • GDP > Composition, by end use > Exports of goods and services: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by end use, which shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete.
    household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit institutions that serve households, on goods and services that are consumed by individuals. This includes consumption of both domestically produced and foreign goods and services.
    government consumption consists of government expenditures on goods and services. These figures exclude government transfer payments, such as interest on debt, unemployment, and social security, since such payments are not made in exchange for goods and services supplied.
    investment in fixed capital consists of total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Earlier editions of The World Factbook referred to this concept as Investment (gross fixed) and that data now have been moved to this new field.
    investment in inventories consists of net changes to the stock of outputs that are still held by the units that produce them, awaiting further sale to an end user, such as automobiles sitting on a dealer’s lot or groceries on the store shelves. This figure may be positive or negative. If the stock of unsold output increases during the relevant time period, investment in inventories is positive, but, if the stock of unsold goods declines, it will be negative. Investment in inventories normally is an early indicator of the state of the economy. If the stock of unsold items increases unexpectedly – because people stop buying - the economy may be entering a recession; but if the stock of unsold items falls - and goods "go flying off the shelves" - businesses normally try to replace those stocks, and the economy is likely to accelerate.
    exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants of goods and services from residents to nonresidents.
    imports of goods and ...
    Full definition
     .
  • Oil > Production: This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  • GDP > CIA Factbook > Per capita: Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • GDP > Composition, by end use > Government consumption: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by end use, which shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete.
    household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit institutions that serve households, on goods and services that are consumed by individuals. This includes consumption of both domestically produced and foreign goods and services.
    government consumption consists of government expenditures on goods and services. These figures exclude government transfer payments, such as interest on debt, unemployment, and social security, since such payments are not made in exchange for goods and services supplied.
    investment in fixed capital consists of total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Earlier editions of The World Factbook referred to this concept as Investment (gross fixed) and that data now have been moved to this new field.
    investment in inventories consists of net changes to the stock of outputs that are still held by the units that produce them, awaiting further sale to an end user, such as automobiles sitting on a dealer’s lot or groceries on the store shelves. This figure may be positive or negative. If the stock of unsold output increases during the relevant time period, investment in inventories is positive, but, if the stock of unsold goods declines, it will be negative. Investment in inventories normally is an early indicator of the state of the economy. If the stock of unsold items increases unexpectedly – because people stop buying - the economy may be entering a recession; but if the stock of unsold items falls - and goods "go flying off the shelves" - businesses normally try to replace those stocks, and the economy is likely to accelerate.
    exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants of goods and services from residents to nonresidents.
    imports of goods and ...
    Full definition
  • GDP > Per $ GDP: This entry gives the gross domestic product (GDP) or value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. A nation's GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States. This is the measure most economists prefer when looking at per-capita welfare and when comparing living conditions or use of resources across countries. The measure is difficult to compute, as a US dollar value has to be assigned to all goods and services in the country regardless of whether these goods and services have a direct equivalent in the United States (for example, the value of an ox-cart or non-US military equipment); as a result, PPP estimates for some countries are based on a small and sometimes different set of goods and services. In addition, many countries do not formally participate in the World Bank's PPP project that calculates these measures, so the resulting GDP estimates for these countries may lack precision. For many developing countries, PPP-based GDP measures are multiples of the official exchange rate (OER) measure. The difference between the OER- and PPP-denominated GDP values for most of the weathly industrialized countries are generally much smaller. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 $ gross domestic product.
  • Entrepreneurship > Starting a Business > Index ranking: Doing Business records all generic procedures that are officially required for an entrepreneur to start up and operate an industrial or commercial business. These include obtaining all necessary licenses and permits and completing any required notifications, verifications or inscriptions with relevant authorities. After a study of laws, regulations and publicly available information on business entry, a detailed list of procedures, time, cost and paid-in minimum capital requirements is developed. Subsequently, local incorporation lawyers and government officials complete and verify the data on applicable procedures, the time and cost of complying with each procedure under normal circumstances and the paid-in minimum capital. On average 4 law firms participate in each country. Information is also collected on the sequence in which procedures are to be completed and whether procedures may be carried out simultaneously. It is assumed that any required information is readily available and that all government and nongovernment agencies involved in the start-up process function efficiently and without corruption. If answers by local experts differ, inquiries continue until the data are reconciled. NOTE: This is a ranking derived from several indicators, 1 being the best (ranked first). The higher the number on this graph, the lower their overall ranking. Invert this graph by clicking on 'Amount' at the top. Consult source for details on methodology.
  • Trade > Exports: The total US dollar amount of exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis.
  • Entrepreneurship > Hiring and Firing > Index ranking: Every economy has established a complex system of laws and institutions intended to protect the interests of workers and to guarantee a minimum standard of living for its population. The OECD Job Study and the International Encyclopedia for Labour Law and Industrial Relations identify 4 areas subject to statutory regulation in all countries: employment, social security, industrial relations and occupational health and safety. Doing Business focuses on the regulation of employment, specifically the hiring and firing of workers and the rigidity of working hours. This year data on social security payments by the employer and pension benefits, including the mandatory retirement age, have been added. The data on hiring and firing workers are based on a detailed survey of employment and social security regulations. The survey is completed by local law firms. The employment laws of most countries are available online in the NATLEX database, published by the International Labour Organization. In all cases both actual laws and secondary sources are used to ensure accuracy. Conflicting answers are further checked against 2 additional sources, including a local legal treatise on employment regulation. NOTE: This is a ranking derived from several indicators, 1 being the best (ranked first). The higher the number on this graph, the lower their overall ranking. Invert this graph by clicking on 'Amount' at the top. Consult source for details on methodology.
  • Imports > Commodities: This entry provides a listing of the highest-valued imported products; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  • Labor force per thousand people: This entry contains the total labor force figure. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Business efficiency: Based upon a business efficiency index where '100' represents the highest level of business efficiency.
  • GDP > Median household income (PPP): Median Household Income $PPP.
  • Public institution index: Public institution index indicates the state of the country's public institutions.
  • Currency > Monetary unit: Country currency.
  • Budget > Expenditures > Per $ GDP: Expenditures calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 $ gross domestic product.
  • Taxes and other revenues: This entry records total taxes and other revenues received by the national government during the time period indicated, expressed as a percent of GDP. Taxes include personal and corporate income taxes, value added taxes, excise taxes, and tariffs. Other revenues include social contributions - such as payments for social security and hospital insurance - grants, and net revenues from public enterprises. Normalizing the data, by dividing total revenues by GDP, enables easy comparisons across countries, and provides an average rate at which all income (GDP) is paid to the national level government for the supply of public goods and services.
  • Oil > Proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of crude oil in barrels (bbl). Proved reserves are those quantities of petroleum which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  • Natural gas > Production: This entry is the total natural gas produced in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  • Oil > Consumption: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors.
  • Electricity > Consumption: This entry consists of total electricity generated annually plus imports and minus exports, expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  • Budget > Expenditures > Per capita: Expenditures calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • GDP > Composition, by end use > Investment in inventories: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by end use, which shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete.
    household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit institutions that serve households, on goods and services that are consumed by individuals. This includes consumption of both domestically produced and foreign goods and services.
    government consumption consists of government expenditures on goods and services. These figures exclude government transfer payments, such as interest on debt, unemployment, and social security, since such payments are not made in exchange for goods and services supplied.
    investment in fixed capital consists of total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Earlier editions of The World Factbook referred to this concept as Investment (gross fixed) and that data now have been moved to this new field.
    investment in inventories consists of net changes to the stock of outputs that are still held by the units that produce them, awaiting further sale to an end user, such as automobiles sitting on a dealer’s lot or groceries on the store shelves. This figure may be positive or negative. If the stock of unsold output increases during the relevant time period, investment in inventories is positive, but, if the stock of unsold goods declines, it will be negative. Investment in inventories normally is an early indicator of the state of the economy. If the stock of unsold items increases unexpectedly – because people stop buying - the economy may be entering a recession; but if the stock of unsold items falls - and goods "go flying off the shelves" - businesses normally try to replace those stocks, and the economy is likely to accelerate.
    exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants of goods and services from residents to nonresidents.
    imports of goods and ...
    Full definition
  • Steel > Production: Production of crude steel in million tonnes.
  • Debt > External > Per $ GDP: Total public and private debt owed to non-residents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1,000 $ gross domestic product.
  • Oil > Exports per thousand people: This entry is the total oil exported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
    Additional details:
    • Bahamas, The: transshipments of 41,570 bbl/day (2007)
    • Bahamas, The: transshipments of 41,610 bbl/day (2009)
    . Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Overall productivity > PPP: Estimates: GDP (PPP) per person employed, US$
  • Oil > Consumption per thousand people: This entry is the total oil consumed in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Budget > Revenues > Per $ GDP: Revenues calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 $ gross domestic product.
  • GDP > Composition, by end use > Investment in fixed capital: This entry is derived from Economy > GDP > Composition, by end use, which shows who does the spending in an economy: consumers, businesses, government, and foreigners. The distribution gives the percentage contribution to total GDP of household consumption, government consumption, investment in fixed capital, investment in inventories, exports of goods and services, and imports of goods and services, and will total 100 percent of GDP if the data are complete.
    household consumption consists of expenditures by resident households, and by nonprofit institutions that serve households, on goods and services that are consumed by individuals. This includes consumption of both domestically produced and foreign goods and services.
    government consumption consists of government expenditures on goods and services. These figures exclude government transfer payments, such as interest on debt, unemployment, and social security, since such payments are not made in exchange for goods and services supplied.
    investment in fixed capital consists of total business spending on fixed assets, such as factories, machinery, equipment, dwellings, and inventories of raw materials, which provide the basis for future production. It is measured gross of the depreciation of the assets, i.e., it includes investment that merely replaces worn-out or scrapped capital. Earlier editions of The World Factbook referred to this concept as Investment (gross fixed) and that data now have been moved to this new field.
    investment in inventories consists of net changes to the stock of outputs that are still held by the units that produce them, awaiting further sale to an end user, such as automobiles sitting on a dealer’s lot or groceries on the store shelves. This figure may be positive or negative. If the stock of unsold output increases during the relevant time period, investment in inventories is positive, but, if the stock of unsold goods declines, it will be negative. Investment in inventories normally is an early indicator of the state of the economy. If the stock of unsold items increases unexpectedly – because people stop buying - the economy may be entering a recession; but if the stock of unsold items falls - and goods "go flying off the shelves" - businesses normally try to replace those stocks, and the economy is likely to accelerate.
    exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, gifts, or grants of goods and services from residents to nonresidents.
    imports of goods and ...
    Full definition
    .
  • Economic importance: Globalpolicy.org
  • Stock of direct foreign investment > At home per capita: This entry gives the cumulative US dollar value of all investments in the home country made directly by residents - primarily companies - of other countries as of the end of the time period indicated. Direct investment excludes investment through purchase of shares. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Electricity > Production: This entry is the annual electricity generated expressed in kilowatt-hours. The discrepancy between the amount of electricity generated and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is accounted for as loss in transmission and distribution.
  • GDP growth > Duration 1980-2000: Gross domestic product GDP growth rate from 1980 to 2000
  • Oil > Production per thousand people: This entry is the total oil produced in barrels per day (bbl/day). The discrepancy between the amount of oil produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes, refinery gains, and other complicating factors. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Oil > Imports per thousand people: This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Oil > Imports: This entry is the total oil imported in barrels per day (bbl/day), including both crude oil and oil products.
  • Imports > Partners: This entry provides a rank ordering of trading partners starting with the most important; it sometimes includes the percent of total dollar value.
  • Natural gas > Proved reserves: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions.
  • Natural gas > Consumption: This entry is the total natural gas consumed in cubic meters (cu m). The discrepancy between the amount of natural gas produced and/or imported and the amount consumed and/or exported is due to the omission of stock changes and other complicating factors.
  • Natural gas > Proved reserves per capita: This entry is the stock of proved reserves of natural gas in cubic meters (cu m). Proved reserves are those quantities of natural gas, which, by analysis of geological and engineering data, can be estimated with a high degree of confidence to be commercially recoverable from a given date forward, from known reservoirs and under current economic conditions. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Trade > Exports > Per $ GDP: The total US dollar amount of exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 $ gross domestic product.
STAT Taiwan United States HISTORY
Budget > Revenues $78.38 billion
Ranked 39th.
$2.45 trillion
Ranked 1st. 31 times more than Taiwan

Budget surplus > + or deficit > - -2.6% of GDP
Ranked 84th.
-6.8% of GDP
Ranked 157th. 3 times more than Taiwan

Debt > Government debt > Public debt, share of GDP 36 CIA
Ranked 99th.
72.5 CIA
Ranked 35th. 2 times more than Taiwan
Distribution of family income > Gini index 34.2
Ranked 9th.
45
Ranked 9th. 32% more than Taiwan

Overview Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing government guidance of investment and foreign trade. Exports, led by electronics, machinery, and petrochemicals have provided the primary impetus for economic development. This heavy dependence on exports exposes the economy to fluctuations in world demand. In 2009, Taiwan's GDP contracted 1.8%, due primarily to a 13.1% year-on-year decline in exports. In 2010 GDP grew 10.7%, as exports returned to the level of previous years, and in 2011, grew 4.0%. In 2012, however, growth fell to 1.3%, because of softening global demand. Taiwan's diplomatic isolation, low birth rate, and rapidly aging population are major long-term challenges. Free trade agreements have proliferated in East Asia over the past several years, but except for the landmark Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed with China in June 2010, so far Taiwan has been excluded from this greater economic integration in part because of its diplomatic status. Negotiations continue on such follow-on components of ECFA regarding trade in goods and services. The MA administration has said that the ECFA will serve as a stepping stone toward trade pacts with other key trade partners, which Taiwan subsequently launched with Singapore and New Zealand. Taiwan's Total Fertility rate of just over one child per woman is among the lowest in the world, raising the prospect of future labor shortages, falling domestic demand, and declining tax revenues. Taiwan's population is aging quickly, with the number of people over 65 accounting for 11.2% of the island's total population as of 2012. The island runs a large trade surplus largely because of its surplus with China, and its foreign reserves are the world's fifth largest, behind China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. In 2006 China overtook the US to become Taiwan's second-largest source of imports after Japan. China is also the island's number one destination for foreign direct investment. Three financial memorandums of understanding, covering banking, securities, and insurance, took effect in mid-January 2010, opening the island to greater investments from the mainland's financial firms and institutional investors, and providing new opportunities for Taiwan financial firms to operate in China. In August 2012, Taiwan Central Bank signed a memorandum of understanding on cross-Strait currency settlement with its Chinese counterpart. The MOU allows for the direct settlement of Chinese RMB and the New Taiwan dollar across the Strait, which could help develop Taiwan into a local RMB hub. Closer economic links with the mainland bring greater opportunities for the Taiwan economy, but also poses new challenges as the island becomes more economically dependent on China while political differences remain unresolved. The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $49,800. In this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income. Imported oil accounts for nearly 55% of US consumption. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the United States into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, making this the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, in October 2008 the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009 the US Congress passed and President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012 the federal government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through 2011, the direct costs of the wars totaled nearly $900 billion, according to US government figures. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries. In March 2010, President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million American citizens by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on health care - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010. In July 2010, the president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight. In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short term rates near zero until unemployment drops to 6.5% from the December rate of 7.8%, or until inflation rises above 2.5%. Long-term problems include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits - including significant budget shortages for state governments.
Exports $299.80 billion
Ranked 20th.
$1.56 trillion
Ranked 2nd. 5 times more than Taiwan

Exports per capita $12,902.98
Ranked 26th. 3 times more than United States
$4,972.70
Ranked 50th.

GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Services 68.2%
Ranked 61st.
79.7%
Ranked 14th. 17% more than Taiwan
GDP > Per capita $30,561.44 per capita
Ranked 28th.
$45,759.46 per capita
Ranked 8th. 50% more than Taiwan

GDP > Per capita > PPP $38,400.00
Ranked 18th.
$51,700.00
Ranked 6th. 35% more than Taiwan

GDP > Purchasing power parity $894.30 billion
Ranked 19th.
$16.24 trillion
Ranked 1st. 18 times more than Taiwan

Inflation rate > Consumer prices 1.9%
Ranked 166th.
2.1%
Ranked 160th. 11% more than Taiwan

Population below poverty line 1.5%
Ranked 17th.
15.1%
Ranked 34th. 10 times more than Taiwan

Public debt 35.8% of GDP
Ranked 102nd.
70% of GDP
Ranked 37th. 96% more than Taiwan

Unemployment rate 4.2%
Ranked 96th.
8.1%
Ranked 47th. 93% more than Taiwan

Fiscal year calendar year 1
GDP > Composition by sector > Industry 29.6%
Ranked 81st. 55% more than United States
19.1%
Ranked 160th.

Imports per capita $11,568.79
Ranked 30th. 58% more than United States
$7,336.40
Ranked 47th.

GDP per capita in 1950 $922.00
Ranked 38th.
$9,573.00
Ranked 1st. 10 times more than Taiwan
Technology index 6.04
Ranked 2nd.
6.24
Ranked 1st. 3% more than Taiwan
Population below poverty line > Per capita 0.042% per 1 million people
Ranked 25th. 2% more than United States
0.041% per 1 million people
Ranked 44th.

Big Mac Index $2.35
Ranked 31st.
$3.15
Ranked 8th. 34% more than Taiwan
GDP > Per capita > PPP per thousand people $1.65
Ranked 84th. 10 times more than United States
$0.16
Ranked 139th.

Exports > Commodities electronics, flat panels, machinery; metals; textiles, plastics, chemicals; optical, photographic, measuring, and medical instruments agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0%
Imports $268.80 billion
Ranked 19th.
$2.30 trillion
Ranked 1st. 9 times more than Taiwan

Budget > Expenditures $90.42 billion
Ranked 37th.
$3.54 trillion
Ranked 1st. 39 times more than Taiwan

Budget > Revenues > Per capita $3,333.50 per capita
Ranked 48th.
$8,527.60 per capita
Ranked 29th. 3 times more than Taiwan

Exports > Main exports Electronics, machinery, optical instruments, chemicals, iron and steel articles and information communications technology products Computers and electrical machinery, vehicles, chemical products, food and live animals, military equipment and aircraft
Debt > External $130.80 billion
Ranked 40th.
$15.93 trillion
Ranked 1st. 122 times more than Taiwan

Central bank discount rate 1.88%
Ranked 34th. 4 times more than United States
0.5%
Ranked 122nd.

Debt > External > Per capita $4,280.61 per capita
Ranked 43th.
$40,678.76 per capita
Ranked 12th. 10 times more than Taiwan

GDP > Composition by sector > Services 68.6%
Ranked 54th.
79.7%
Ranked 15th. 16% more than Taiwan

GDP > Composition by sector > Agriculture 1.8%
Ranked 182nd. 50% more than United States
1.2%
Ranked 191st.

Industries electronics, communications and information technology products, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second largest industrial output in world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining
GDP > Composition, by end use > Imports of goods and services -66%
Ranked 140th. 4 times more than United States
-16.9%
Ranked 4th.
GDP per capita in 1973 $3,669.00
Ranked 31st.
$16,607.00
Ranked 2nd. 5 times more than Taiwan
Labor force 11
Ranked 122nd.
155
Ranked 39th. 14 times more than Taiwan

GDP per capita in 1900 $759.00
Ranked 30th.
$4,096.00
Ranked 3rd. 5 times more than Taiwan
GDP > Real growth rate 1.3%
Ranked 138th.
2.8%
Ranked 106th. 2 times more than Taiwan

Debt > Government debt > Gross government debt, share of GDP 40.94 IMF
Ranked 94th.
106.53 IMF
Ranked 11th. 3 times more than Taiwan
Economic freedom 72.7
Ranked 20th.
76
Ranked 10th. 5% more than Taiwan

Stock of direct foreign investment > At home $59.36 billion
Ranked 50th.
$2.65 trillion
Ranked 1st. 45 times more than Taiwan

Current account balance $49.92 billion
Ranked 13th.
$-440,400,000,000.00
Ranked 180th.

Agriculture > Products rice, vegetables, fruit, tea, flowers; pigs, poultry; fish wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products
Currency New Taiwan dollar US dollar
GDP > Purchasing power parity > Per capita $30,561.44 per capita
Ranked 28th.
$45,759.46 per capita
Ranked 8th. 50% more than Taiwan

Business > Companies > Corporate governance (overall rating) 3.84
Ranked 31st.
7.16
Ranked 4th. 86% more than Taiwan
Gross national saving 30.3% of GDP
Ranked 25th. 2 times more than United States
12.5% of GDP
Ranked 118th.

Stock of broad money None None
Exchange rates New Taiwan dollars (TWD) per US dollar -<br />29.62 (2012 est.)<br />29.47 (2011 est.)<br />31.65 (2010 est.)<br />33.06 (2009)<br />31.53 (2008) <strong>British pounds per US dollar: </strong>0.6324 (2012 est.), 0.624 (2011 est.), 0.6472 (2010), 0.6175 (2009), 0.5302 (2008)<br /><strong>Canadian dollars per US dollar:</strong> (2012 est.), 1.001 (2012 est.), 0.9895 (2011 est), 1.0302 (2010 est.), 1.1431 (2009), 1.0364 (2008)<br /><strong>Chinese yuan per US dollar:</strong> (2011 est.), 6.311 (2012 est.), 6.4615 (20111 est.), 6.7703 (2010 est.), 6.8314 (2009), 6.9385 (2008)<br /><strong>euros per US dollar:</strong> 0.7838 (2012 est.), 0.7185 (2011 est.), 0.755 (2010 est.), 0.7198 (2009), 0.6827 (2008)<br /><strong>Japanese yen per US dollar:</strong> 79.42 (2012 est.), 79.81 (2011 est.), 87.78 (2010), 93.57 (2009), 103.58 (2008)
Size of economy > Share of world GDP 0.02%
Ranked 105th.
31.49%
Ranked 1st. 1575 times more than Taiwan
Exports > Partners China 27.1%, Hong Kong 13.2%, US 10.3%, Japan 6.4%, Singapore 4.4% Canada 18.9%, Mexico 14%, China 7.2%, Japan 4.5%
GDP > Official exchange rate $467.70 billion
Ranked 27th.
$16.02 trillion
Ranked 1st. 34 times more than Taiwan

Investment > Gross fixed 20.1% of GDP
Ranked 91st. 56% more than United States
12.9% of GDP
Ranked 139th.

Stock of narrow money None None
GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Industry 29.8%
Ranked 79th. 55% more than United States
19.2%
Ranked 161st.
GDP > Composition, by sector of origin > Agriculture 2%
Ranked 177th. 82% more than United States
1.1%
Ranked 194th.
Investment > External financial assets per capita €75,709.08
Ranked 13th.
€133,164.46
Ranked 2nd. 76% more than Taiwan

IKEA > First store opening year 1994 1985
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold $408.50 billion
Ranked 6th. 3 times more than United States
$150.20 billion
Ranked 18th.

GDP > Composition, by end use > Household consumption 60.3%
Ranked 114th.
68.6%
Ranked 80th. 14% more than Taiwan
GDP > CIA Factbook $528.60 billion
Ranked 17th.
$10.99 trillion
Ranked 1st. 21 times more than Taiwan

Investment > External financial assets €1.76 trillion
Ranked 11th.
€42.17 trillion
Ranked 1st. 24 times more than Taiwan

Industrial production growth rate 0.9%
Ranked 117th.
3.2%
Ranked 79th. 4 times more than Taiwan

Industrial > Production growth rate 26.4%
Ranked 2nd. 8 times more than United States
3.3%
Ranked 92nd.

Debt > Interest rates > Central bank discount rate 1.5%
Ranked 84th. 6 times more than United States
0.25%
Ranked 92nd.
Business > Companies > Specific companies > IKEA > Debut 1,994
Ranked 23th. About the same as United States
1,985
Ranked 31st.

Commercial bank prime lending rate 2.88%
Ranked 173th.
3.25%
Ranked 170th. 13% more than Taiwan

Trade > Imports $251.40 billion
Ranked 17th.
$1.90 trillion
Ranked 1st. 8 times more than Taiwan

Oil > Exports 303,000 bbl/day
Ranked 2nd.
1.92 million bbl/day
Ranked 9th. 6 times more than Taiwan

GDP > Composition, by end use > Exports of goods and services 73.6%
Ranked 31st. 5 times more than United States
13.5%
Ranked 182nd.
Oil > Production 26,680 bbl/day
Ranked 72nd.
9.69 million bbl/day
Ranked 3rd. 363 times more than Taiwan

GDP > CIA Factbook > Per capita $23,386.28 per capita
Ranked 24th.
$37,791.00 per capita
Ranked 2nd. 62% more than Taiwan

GDP > Composition, by end use > Government consumption 12.4%
Ranked 138th.
19.5%
Ranked 53th. 57% more than Taiwan
GDP > Per $ GDP $30,561.44 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 28th.
$45,759.46 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 8th. 50% more than Taiwan

Entrepreneurship > Starting a Business > Index ranking 79
Ranked 76th. 26 times more than United States
3
Ranked 152nd.
Trade > Exports $274.60 billion
Ranked 16th.
$1.27 trillion
Ranked 3rd. 5 times more than Taiwan

Entrepreneurship > Hiring and Firing > Index ranking 108
Ranked 46th. 18 times more than United States
6
Ranked 148th.
Imports > Commodities electronics, machinery, crude petroleum, precision instruments, organic chemicals, metals agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys)
Labor force per thousand people 0.000472
Ranked 120th.
0.000489
Ranked 115th. 4% more than Taiwan

Business efficiency 78.32
Ranked 11th.
100
Ranked 1st. 28% more than Taiwan
GDP > Median household income (PPP) $39,970.00
Ranked 19th.
$53,046.00
Ranked 7th. 33% more than Taiwan
Public institution index 5.56
Ranked 27th.
5.74
Ranked 21st. 3% more than Taiwan
Currency > Monetary unit New Taiwan dollar (NT$) 1 US dollar = 100 cents
Budget > Expenditures > Per $ GDP $0.13 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 152nd.
$0.20 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 112th. 53% more than Taiwan

Taxes and other revenues 16.8% of GDP
Ranked 159th. 10% more than United States
15.3% of GDP
Ranked 2nd.

Oil > Proved reserves 2.38 million bbl
Ranked 90th.
20.68 billion bbl
Ranked 13th. 8689 times more than Taiwan

Natural gas > Production 310 million cu m
Ranked 63th.
611 billion cu m
Ranked 1st. 1971 times more than Taiwan

Oil > Consumption 1 million bbl/day
Ranked 20th.
19.15 million bbl/day
Ranked 1st. 19 times more than Taiwan

Electricity > Consumption 220.8 billion kWh
Ranked 5th.
3.74 trillion kWh
Ranked 1st. 17 times more than Taiwan

Budget > Expenditures > Per capita $3,309.44 per capita
Ranked 47th.
$9,065.55 per capita
Ranked 26th. 3 times more than Taiwan

GDP > Composition, by end use > Investment in inventories 0.2%
Ranked 105th.
0.4%
Ranked 87th. Twice as much as Taiwan
Steel > Production 15.7 million tonnes
Ranked 13th.
58.1 million tonnes
Ranked 5th. 4 times more than Taiwan

Debt > External > Per $ GDP $101.10 per $1,000 of GDP
Ranked 114th.
$760.50 per $1,000 of GDP
Ranked 31st. 8 times more than Taiwan

Stock of direct foreign investment > Abroad $226.10 billion
Ranked 23th.
$4.45 trillion
Ranked 1st. 20 times more than Taiwan

Oil > Exports per thousand people 13.16 bbl/day
Ranked 2nd. 2 times more than United States
6.26 bbl/day
Ranked 55th.

Overall productivity > PPP $54,217.30
Ranked 15th.
$74,624.70
Ranked 2nd. 38% more than Taiwan
Oil > Consumption per thousand people 43.52 bbl/day
Ranked 37th.
61.91 bbl/day
Ranked 21st. 42% more than Taiwan

Budget > Revenues > Per $ GDP $0.11 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 151st.
$0.18 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 115th. 70% more than Taiwan

GDP > Composition, by end use > Investment in fixed capital 19.6%
Ranked 120th. 32% more than United States
14.8%
Ranked 162nd.
Economic importance 3.9
Ranked 16th.
197.9
Ranked 1st. 51 times more than Taiwan
Stock of direct foreign investment > At home per capita $2,554.77
Ranked 59th.
$8,444.99
Ranked 33th. 3 times more than Taiwan

Electricity > Production 229.1 billion kWh
Ranked 16th.
3.95 trillion kWh
Ranked 1st. 17 times more than Taiwan

GDP growth > Duration 1980-2000 210%
Ranked 2nd. 4 times more than United States
56%
Ranked 25th.
Oil > Production per thousand people 1.16 bbl/day
Ranked 78th.
31.32 bbl/day
Ranked 28th. 27 times more than Taiwan

Oil > Imports per thousand people 38.06 bbl/day
Ranked 2nd. 14% more than United States
33.48 bbl/day
Ranked 37th.

Oil > Imports 876,300 bbl/day
Ranked 1st.
10.27 million bbl/day
Ranked 1st. 12 times more than Taiwan

Imports > Partners Japan 17.6%, China 16.1%, US 9.5% China 19%, Canada 14.1%, Mexico 12%, Japan 6.4%, Germany 4.7%
Market value of publicly traded shares $831.90 billion
Ranked 7th.
$15.64 trillion
Ranked 1st. 19 times more than Taiwan

Natural gas > Proved reserves 6.23 billion cu m
Ranked 82nd.
6.93 trillion cu m
Ranked 6th. 1112 times more than Taiwan

Natural gas > Consumption 12.1 billion cu m
Ranked 36th.
683.3 billion cu m
Ranked 1st. 56 times more than Taiwan

Natural gas > Proved reserves per capita 269.98 cu m
Ranked 87th.
22,397.07 cu m
Ranked 30th. 83 times more than Taiwan

External debt > Date of information 2006 est. 30 June 2006 est.
Trade > Exports > Per $ GDP $0.27 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 76th. 4 times more than United States
$0.08 per $1 of GDP
Ranked 152nd.

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; Wikipedia: List of countries by public debt (List) (Public debt , The World Factbook , United States Central Intelligence Agency , accessed on March 21, 2013.); CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; CIA World Factbook 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Angus Maddison; World economic forum - Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005; The Economist.; CIA World Factbook 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; British Broadcasting Corporation 2014; Angus Maddison; Wikipedia: List of countries by public debt (List); The Heritage Foundation; Wikipedia: List of countries by corporate governance; Wikipedia: World distribution of wealth (North America); Wikipedia: List of sovereign states by external assets. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Various sources compiled into Wikipedia's List of IKEA stores; https://www.allianz.com/v_1380187782000/media/economic_research/publications/specials/en/AGWR2013e.pdf, August 2013, p. 115.; Wikipedia: List of countries by central bank interest rates (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2207rank.html http://www.worldinterestrates.info/ http://www.forexmotion.com/index.php/en/exchange-rates.html); Wikipedia: List of countries with IKEA stores; Doing Business, Economy Rankings, 2005.; IMD International, 2005; Wikipedia: Median household income (International statistics) (http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPPC.RF?order=wbapi_data_value_2012+wbapi_data_value+wbapi_data_value-last&sort=desc); World economic forum - Global Competitiveness Report 2004-2005; World Steel Association: World Crude Steel Production; IMD International; Economic Importance, 1998 (GDP x PC Inc) figures in quadrillion people dollars; Per Capita GDP Growth IMF; Wikipedia: List of countries by external debt

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