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The United States exports 14% of GDP while Germany exports about 50% of its GDP. Explain what that means.

a) Germany has a larger economy than the United States
b) Germany has a more balanced trade than the United States
c) The United States has a larger trade deficit than Germany
d) Germany is more dependent on international trade than the United States

User Riyo
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Final answer:

The United States exports 14% of its GDP, whereas Germany exports 50% of its GDP, which means that Germany is more dependent on international trade than the U.S. The higher export percentage doesn't necessarily imply a more balanced trade or a larger economy. Germany often runs a trade surplus while the U.S. has a trade deficit.

Step-by-step explanation:

When comparing the United States and Germany concerning their exports as a percentage of GDP, Germany is more dependent on international trade than the United States. While the United States exports 14% of its GDP, Germany exports about 50% of its GDP. This means that a significant portion of Germany's economy is tied to its ability to sell goods and services abroad, whereas the United States has a large domestic economy that absorbs a greater share of its production.

Moreover, this does not imply that Germany has a larger economy than the United States; in fact, it is the reverse. The United States has a larger economy overall. The high percentage of exports relative to Germany's GDP also does not necessarily indicate a more balanced trade compared to the United States, nor does it directly relate to the size of each country's trade deficit. Trade deficits are determined by the difference between a country's imports and exports, and these figures can be influenced by many factors other than the volume of exports alone.

It's worth noting from the provided data, that Germany tends to run a trade surplus (with a trade balance of 8.4% of GDP), while the United States has run trade deficits in recent years (with a current account balance of -2.6% of GDP). This suggests a different balance of trade between the two economies, with Germany exporting far more than it imports compared to the United States.

User Lucas Santos
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