Imports (USD billion)

Imports are defined as goods produced outside the boundaries of one country, which are then purchased by that country. Together with exports, imports represent the keystone of foreign trade. A country buys goods from abroad because it cannot produce them itself or because there are comparative advantages in purchasing them from abroad. A greater proportion of imports relative to a country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicates a country’s degree of dependence on purchases from abroad. The higher the degree, the more imports displace domestic output. Demand for imports depends on economic conditions in the buying country, as well as the exchange rate and relative prices.