Germany is one of the world’s most developed and well performing industrial states. It is the fourth greatest economy around the world preceded by USA, Japan and China. Furthermore, it is the biggest and most important market in the European Union. Population reached 82.3m. The German economy is built upon the industrial products and services and is supported by the high reputation of the machine, vehicle and chemical products industry. Imports of commodities and services contribute to more than the quarter of the German income. One fifth of the job opportunities depends on the imports either directly or indirectly. With a total of imports that rises as high as USD 1121bn, German occupied the second place after china (USD 1202bn). This number represents around one third of the German national income. For six consecutive times Germany occupied the first place of imports around the world. Germany is responsible for 9% of the world trade.
Due to its intensive focus on importation, Germany is considered to have the strongest correlations and interconnections to the world’s economy, set aside the German deep interest in the international markets. France, Netherland, USA and Britain are Germany’s most significant commercial partners. In 2009, the total German imports to France was EUR 82bn, while the imports to USA and Netherland represented EUR 54bn and that to Britain represented EUR 53bn. The significant development of commercial exchange with the new member states of the Central and Eastern Europe can be traced back to the European Union eastern enlargement in 2004 and 2007, not to mention the trade exchange with the “old” member states. The total imports to these states are 10% of the total German imports. Generally, the total imports to the European Union member states is 63%.
The international trade and economic relationships with the developing states of Asia are constantly growing. Asia is the 2nd market of the German product sales. In 2009, the German imports to this region went high to 14%. China is the most important commercial partner. Since 1999, Germany has been the greatest European investor in China with around 2500 German companies with various investments.