Data lab
Trade Openness Lab
Why can exports plus imports exceed the value of GDP, especially in a small trading economy?
Live data panel
Compare the trend
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Definition and units
Indicator NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS is exports plus imports of goods and services divided by GDP, expressed as a percentage. Because the numerator adds two gross flows while GDP measures domestic value added, the ratio can exceed 100% without contradiction.
Level: Compare cross-border trade intensity, not economic size.
Balance: Adding exports and imports does not show whether exports exceed imports.
Availability: Revisions and reporting lags can produce different latest years.
What this indicator cannot tell you
Trade-to-GDP does not show the trade balance, domestic content of exports, firm participation, distribution of gains or vulnerability to a particular supplier. Country size and re-export activity strongly affect comparisons.
Try it yourself
Explain why a high trade-to-GDP ratio and a trade surplus answer different questions. Use one displayed value and avoid treating openness as a welfare score.
Source and retrieval
The page requests live World Bank observations and keeps no fixed snapshot. See the API response example, indicator page, and metadata definition. Record the displayed year and retrieval date.