U n i t e d N at i o n s C o n f e r e n c e o n T r a d e A n d D e v e l o p m e n t
PROSPERITY FOR ALL
N° 1
FACTS AND FIGURES ON
M AY
2 0 1 3
SERVICES ECONOMY
SERVICES, DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE
44%
of world employment
74%
of developed countries’
employment
37%
1/5
of the world
total trade
of developing countries’
employment
Why?
2/3
of world output
74%
of developed countries’
GDP
51%
MEASUREMENT DIFFICULTIES
of developing countries’
GDP
Despite recent efforts to improve statistical
methodologies, trade on services remains a
rather elusive form of activity for economists to
monitor and record.
NON-TRADABLE NATURE OF
CERTAIN SERVICES ACTIVITIES
Some services are only possible, or more efficient,
when providers are physically close to their clients.
Services are then provided through commercial
presence.
Services
Sector receives
$570 billion
worth of FDI
projects
2
40%
of the global
FDI total
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GLOBAL IMPORTANCE OF SERVICES
2012
Transition
economies
Developed
economies:
Europe
Developed
economies:
America
Africa
DCs
America
DCs
Trade in Services
Trade in Goods
Developing
economies account for :
37.2 %
of total services imports
30.8 %
of total services exports
DEVELOPED
economies account for :
58.9 %
of total services imports
66.3 %
of total services exports
TRANSITION
economies account for :
3.9
%
of total services imports
2.9 %
of total services exports
ut quo core, nos facium es etur?
TRADE: REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Distribution of world
trade in services by
region, 2012 (per cent)
1.4
1.8
39.6
44.8
Eastern
Asia DCs
Developed
economies:
Asia
Western
Asia DCs
4.7
3.9
12.9
16.1
SouthEastern
Asia DCs
3.9
5.5
2.9
3.0
6.6
6.2
3.9
3.9
11.9
Southern
Asia DCs
11.8
5.1
3.5
2.2
EXPORTS
4.1
IMPORTS
Developed economies: Oceania
Developed economies: Europe
Developed economies: Asia
Developed economies: America
Transition economies
While developed countries continue
to have a higher share of services
trade than developing countries,
the expansion of services exports
in 2012 was led by developing
economies of Asia (8%) and
America (6%), and the transition
economies (7%).
Northern American developed
countries increased their services
exports (4%) in 2012.
Europe perceived a significant
decline (-3%) in the same period.
Western Asia DCs
South-Eastern Asia DCs
Southern Asia DCs
Eastern Asia DCs
America DCs
Africa DCs
Note: DCs: Developing Countries
services trade balance
Services trade balance as a share of normalized services trade balance,
1990 and 2011 (per cent)
1990
Developed
economies
Developing
economies
Africa DCs
2011
America DCs
Asia DCs
Least
Developed
Countries
importance and impact of
key services trade sectors
Distribution of world services exports, 2011 (per cent)
0.8 2.2 1.7
24.5
Travel, transportation and other
business services are the main
traded servies activities.
2.4
2.4
5.7
Travel
6.7
Transport
Other business services
Financial services
7.2
Royalties and licence fees
Computer and information
Communications
20.1
25.9
Construction
Government services n.i.e.
Insurance
Personal, cultural and recreational
Distribution of world services exports, 2000-2011 (per cent)
While other business services
has perceived a significant
growth in the last 11 years, travel
and transport have experienced
the contrary.
Travel
Transport
Other business services
Financial services
Royalties and licence fees
Computer and information
Communications
Construction
Government services n.i.e.
Insurance
Personal, cultural and recreational
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developing countries services
Share of developing countries in world services exports (per cent)
2000
2011
Government services n.i.e.
27.6
10.5
Personal, cultural and
recreational
16.6
30.1
Other business services
Royalties and licence fees
25.2
4.6
4.4
30.4
Computer and information
Financial services
14.2
16.9
11.6
20.3
Insurance
Construction
Communications
24.4
39.4
17.8
23.5
27.2
38.5
Travel
Transport
Total services
In most categories, developing
countries strengthened their
world market share from 2000
to 2011.
27.2
32.7
24.5
29.8
23.1
Developing countries account for
around 30% of world services
exports.
Developing countries’ share
of construction and travel
services rises to almost 40% of
world services exports of these
categories.
ut quo core, nos facium es etur?
exports performance by category
Distribution of computer and information services exports (per cent)
85.4
68.0
2011
2000
28.0
12.6
0.3 1.5
Developed
economies
Developing countries’ share of the
global total of travel, contruction and
computer and information services
exports perceived a noticeable
increase from 2000 to 2011.
Transition
economies
1.9
0.7 0.5
Developing
economies:
America
Developing
economies:
Africa
0.9
Developing
economies:
Asia
Despite developing countries’ shares increase, developed countries still dominate
travel, construction and computer and information services exports.
Only some Asian developing countries managed to capture a significant market
share in these services
top exporters and importers 2012
TOP EXPORTERS 2012 (US$ millions)
1
United States
633,028
2
United Kingdom
282,072
3
Germany
258,860
4
France
209,026
5
China
190,939
6
India
148,128
7
Japan
142,855
8
Spain
140,404
9
Singapore
133,466
10
Netherlands
128,855
TOP IMPORTERS 2012 (US$ millions)
436,459
United States
1
286,290
Germany
2
282,098
China
3
181,882
United Kingdom
4
175,459
Japan
5
171,523
France
6
125,875
India
7
117,170
Singapore
8
115,888
Netherlands
9
110,430
Ireland
10
Source: UNCTADStat database is used for all figures.
Note: 2012 values are estimated figures.