Economy - overview:
The German economy - the fifth largest economy in the world in PPP terms and Europe's largest - is a leading exporter of machinery, vehicles, chemicals, and household equipment. Germany benefits from a highly skilled labor force, but, like its Western European neighbors, faces significant demographic challenges to sustained long-term growth. Low fertility rates and a large increase in net immigration are increasing pressure on the country's social welfare system and necessitate structural reforms.

Reforms launched by the government of Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (1998-2005), deemed necessary to address chronically high unemployment and low average growth, contributed to strong economic growth and falling unemployment. These advances, as well as a government subsidized, reduced working hour scheme, help explain the relatively modest increase in unemployment during the 2008-09 recession - the deepest since World War II. The German Government introduced a minimum wage in 2015 that increased to $9.79 (8.84 euros) in January 2017.

Stimulus and stabilization efforts initiated in 2008 and 2009 and tax cuts introduced in Chancellor Angela MERKEL's second term increased Germany's total budget deficit - including federal, state, and municipal - to 4.1% in 2010, but slower spending and higher tax revenues reduced the deficit to 0.8% in 2011 and in 2017 Germany reached a budget surplus of 0.7%. A constitutional amendment approved in 2009 limits the federal government to structural deficits of no more than 0.35% of GDP per annum as of 2016, though the target was already reached in 2012.

Following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Chancellor Angela MERKEL announced in May 2011 that eight of the country's 17 nuclear reactors would be shut down immediately and the remaining plants would close by 2022. Germany plans to replace nuclear power largely with renewable energy, which accounted for 29.5% of gross electricity consumption in 2016, up from 9% in 2000. Before the shutdown of the eight reactors, Germany relied on nuclear power for 23% of its electricity generating capacity and 46% of its base-load electricity production.

The German economy suffers from low levels of investment, and a government plan to invest 15 billion euros during 2016-18, largely in infrastructure, is intended to spur needed private investment. Domestic consumption, investment, and exports are likely to drive German GDP growth in 2018, and the country’s budget and trade surpluses are likely to remain high.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.199 trillion (2017 est.)
$4.099 trillion (2016 est.)
$4.012 trillion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 5
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.701 trillion (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2017 est.)
2.2% (2016 est.)
1.5% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 128
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$50,800 (2017 est.)
$49,800 (2016 est.)
$49,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 27
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
28% of GDP (2017 est.)
28.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
28.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 40
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 53.1% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 19.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 20.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: -0.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 47.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -39.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 30.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 68.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; milk products; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries:
among the world's largest and most technologically advanced producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery, vehicles, machine tools, electronics, automobiles, food and beverages, shipbuilding, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
3.3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 95
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
45.9 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 14
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.4%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 24.2%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 74.3% (2016)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
3.8% (2017 est.)
4.2% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 46
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
16.7% (2015 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.6%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 24% (2000)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
27 (2006)
30 (1994)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 145
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 1.665 trillion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 1.619 trillion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
45% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 22
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
1.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 25
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
67.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: general government gross debt is defined in the Maastricht Treaty as consolidated general government gross debt at nominal value, outstanding at the end of the year in the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); the general government sector comprises the sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government and social security funds; the series are presented as a percentage of GDP and in millions of euros; GDP used as a denominator is the gross domestic product at current market prices; data expressed in national currency are converted into euro using end-of-year exchange rates provided by the European Central Bank
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 61
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.7% (2017 est.)
0.4% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 92
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
0% (31 December 2017)
0% (31 December 2010)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 154
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
1.67% (31 December 2017 est.)
1.78% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 187
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$2.453 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.016 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply for the entire euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 18 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 4
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$2.453 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$2.016 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 4
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$5.033 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$4.433 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 4
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.716 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.739 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.936 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 6
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
$291 billion (2017 est.)
$297.5 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 1
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$1.434 trillion (2017 est.)
$1.322 trillion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 3
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
US 8.8%, France 8.2%, China 6.8%, Netherlands 6.7%, UK 6.6%, Italy 5.1%, Austria 4.9%, Poland 4.7%, Switzerland 4.2% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
motor vehicles, machinery, chemicals, computer and electronic products, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, metals, transport equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, rubber and plastic products

Imports:
$1.135 trillion (2017 est.)
$1.022 trillion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 3
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery, data processing equipment, vehicles, chemicals, oil and gas, metals, electric equipment, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, agricultural products

Imports - partners:
Netherlands 13.8%, China 7%, France 6.6%, Belgium 5.9%, Italy 5.4%, Poland 5.4%, Czechia 4.8%, US 4.5%, Austria 4.3%, Switzerland 4.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$200.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$173.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 13
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$5.326 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
$5.21 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 4
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$1.653 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.391 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 5
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$2.298 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.981 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 3
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)