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Country Commercial Guides
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CHAPTER X. ECONOMIC AND TRADE STATISTICS
A.) COUNTRY DATA
NOTE: Figures apply to unified Germany (eastern and western) *= projected
A. Population: 82 million (1998), including 15.3 million in eastern Germany and 7.3 million foreigners (d).
B. Religion: 34% Protestant, 33% Catholic.
C. Government: Constitutional, parliamentary confederation
Head of State: Johannes Rau, President
Head of Government, Gerhard Schroeder, Chancellor
D. Language: GermanB.) DOMESTIC ECONOMY Endnote/ 1997 1998 1999(ytd) Source a. GDP (current, DM bill) 3675.8 3799.4 3913.4 (c) b. GDP (current, $ bill) 2118.9 2159.7 2174.1 (c) c. Real GDP Growth Rate (%) +1.8 +2.3 +1.5 (c) d. GDP per Capita ($) 25,824.0 26,318.0 26,513.0 (c) e. Fed Govt Expenditur (% GDP) 14.3 14.4 13.7 (1)(c) f. Public Expenditure( % GDP) 47.5 46.9 46.1 (1)(c) g. Inflation/Cost of Living (%) 1.9 1.0 0.7/May (c) h. ForEx Reserves ($ bill) 44.2 57.1 - (a) i. Unemployment (%) 11.4 11.1 10.6/Apr (a) j. Exchange Rate ($/DM) 1.7348 1.7592 1.80 (a) k. Ext'l Public Debt ($ bill) 406.4 439.1 na (a) l. Wages (1991=100) 126.7 128.7 na (a) m. Productivity(1991=100) 116.9 120.0 na (a) C.) TRADE 1997 1998 1999(ytd) Source a. Total export (fob/$ bill) 512.2 539.8 67.0/March (a) b. Total import (cif/$ bill) 445.1 466.7 57.8/March (a) c. Exports to U.S.(fas/$ bill) 24.5 26.7 n/a (b) d. Imports from U.S.(fob/$ bill) 43.1 49.8 n/a (b) e. Principal U.S. exports: computers & software, aircraft, motor vehicles, analytical/medical equipment, telecommunications equipment and services. f. Principal U.S. imports: motor vehicles/parts, machine tools, machinery, analytical/diagnostic equipment, chemicals. g. Foreign supplier share of German imports (%): 1997 1998 1999(ytd) Source 1. France 10.5 11.0 n/a (a) 2. Netherlands 8.7 8.0 n/a (a) 3. Italy 7.9 7.7 n/a (a) 4. United States 7.6 8.2 n/a (a) 5. United Kingdom 7.0 6.8 n/a (a) 6. Belgium/Luxembourg 6.1 5.6 n/a (a) 7. Japan 4.9 5.0 n/a (a) 8. Austria 3.8 3.9 n/a (a) h. BOP, Current Acct ($ bill) -1.4 -3.6 -2.8/Mar i. Trade balance with world & leading trading partners ($ bill): 1997 1998 1999(ytd) Source ** World ** 67.1 73.1 9.1/Mar (a) 1. Austria 10.1 10.3 0.7/Feb (a) 2. United Kingdom 11.9 14.6 1.4/Feb (a) 3. France 7.7 8.9 1.3/Feb (a) 4. United States 10.1 12.5 0.8/Feb (a) 5. Belgium/Lux. 2.4 4.5 0.7/Feb (a) 6. Italy 2.3 4.0 0.5/Feb (a) 7. Netherlands -2.6 -0.3 -0.0/Feb (a) 8. Japan -9.8 -12.7 -0.9/Feb (a)j. Import policy:
1. Tariffs: EC Common External Tariff. 2. Taxes: Value Added Tax (VAT) of 16% on industrial goods. 3. Licensing: Few restrictions.k. Best U.S. export prospects: computers/peripherals, franchising, software, industrial chemicals, aircraft/parts, medical eq., computer/software equipment and services, sporting/recreation eq., auto parts & services, electronic components, airport/ground support eq., audio/visual eq., laboratory scientific instr., films/videos, telecommunications equipment, drugs/pharmaceuticals.
D.) INVESTMENT STATISTICS
a. Foreign ownership restrictions: None
b. Total U.S. direct investment in Germany: $40.0 billion 1996 (a) Principal sectors: manufacturing (chemicals, machines, foodstuffs); finance, insurance and real estate; wholesale trade; banking; petroleum.
c. U.S. share of foreign direct investment in Germany: 24 percent in 1996 (a).
d. Other foreign investors: Netherlands (24%), Switzerland (11%), France (9%),United Kingdom (8%), Japan (6%) in 1996 (a)
e. Total German direct investment in U.S.: $51 billion 1996 (a)NOTE: 1. 1999 = projected.
SOURCES: a. German Federal Bank Monthly Reports and supplements
b. Official statistics of the U.S. Department of Commerce
c. German Federal Statistical OfficeForeign Direct Investment Statistics
There are a number of sources concerning the origin and magnitude of this FDI. The most recent statistics from the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany (Amcham) put U.S. direct investment at the end of 1997 at DM 190 billion, of which 14 billion were in the New States. This represents 1,800 firms, which have created some 800,000 jobs (in the New States 300 firms and 65,000 jobs). By contrast, an estimated 2,500 German firms have directly invested DM 150 billion in the U.S., creating 300,000 American jobs. The Bundesbank figures, however, do not account for investment capital that flows into Germany from U.S. companies located in third countries.
Amcham reports that despite continuing concern about high taxes, inflexible labor markets and the like, leading U.S. firms planned moderate investments in 1999.
Investment Statistics:
Table 1. Germany's International Investment Position
Calendar Year 1996 1997 1998 (DM billion) Foreign Direct Investment 76.5 69.9 152.4 By German Nationals/Entities Abroad Direct Foreign Investment 8.5 16.7 35.0 In Germany (Source: Deutsche Bundesbank) Table 2. Companies in Germany with Direct Foreign Investment Calendar Year 1995 1996 1997 Total (in thousands of DM) 8.982 9.032 8.905 (of which Manufacturing) 1.813 1.805 n/a Employees (in thousands) 914 876 850 (of which Manufacturing) 580 546 n/a Annual Turnover 581 585 599 (in DM billion) (of which Manufacturing) 308 306 n/a (Source: Deutsche Bundesbank) Table 3. Foreign Direct Investment by Industrial Sector (1998 - DM million) 1. Holding Companies 17,584 2. Credit and Banking 13,576 3. Paper Industry 851 4. Optical Industry 625 5. Car Dealers/Repair Shops/ Gas Stations 533 6. Electrical Power 494 7. Other Motor Vehicle 486 8. Glass, Ceramics, Stone processing 439 9. Machinetool building 319 (Source: Economics Ministry) Table 4. Top 25 U.S. investors (in rank order): Opel AG Ford-Werke AG Esso AG Phillip Morris GmbH IBM Deutschland GmbH General Electric Deutschland Hewlett-Packard GmbH German Coca-Cola Procter and Gamble ITT Industries Europe GmbH Conoco Mineraloel GmbH Mobil Oil AG Dow Deutschland, Inc. Kraft Jacobs Suchard Erzeugnisse GmbH Motorola Deutschland Deere and Company Du Pont de Nemours Braun AG Wertkaug Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH Woolworth Co. GmbH Delphi Automotive Systems GmbH Effern GmbH Compaq Computer EMEA GmbH Kodak AG (Source: American Chamber of Commerce in Germany)
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[end of document] Note* International Copyright, United States Government, 1998 (or other year of first publication). All rights under foreign copyright laws are reserved. All portions of this publication are protected against any type or form of reproduction, communications to the public and the preparation of adaptations, arrangement and alterations outside the United States. U. S. copyright is not asserted under the U.S. Copyright Law, Title 17, United States Code.
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