The Federal Republic of Germany’s balance of payments 1949 to 1998

The data compilation on hand gives an overview of the main statistical results in the main components of Germany’s balance of payments during the period from 1949 to 1998. The balance of payments statistics is completed with information about financial services of the Federal Republic of Germany for developing countries. The balance of payments is according to the definition of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) the systematic documentation of all transactions that have taken place during a given period between residents and non-residents. In Germany the Central German Bank (“Deutsche Bundesbank”) prepares the balance of payments since 1950. As the balance of payments records cash flows (recording of transactions) and not, as usually stocks it is not a balance sheet in the traditional sense. The balance of payments reflects the scope and structure of a country’s international economic relations. The recorded transactions can be either goods or monetary. Valuable transactions of economic values between residents and non-residents as well as complimentary services are in the focus of the balance sheet. The balance of payments is divided into trade balance, transfer payments and financial accounts.

Since 1950 the information on state and private benefits to developing countries and multilateral agencies are compiled annually by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation using a scheme of the OECD / DAC (Development Assistance Committee). The data are not fully comparable with the data of the balance of payments, because they are based in part on other documents.

Data tables in HISTAT:

The numerous tables are divided into four main topics or sub-balances (sub-accounts):

A. – Tabellen, Übersichten: Zahlungsbilanz, Kapitalverkehr mit dem Ausland, Auslandsposition, staatliche und private Leistungen an Entwicklungsländer
(Overviews: balance of payments, trading and financial transactions abroad, state and private benefits to developing countries)

B. – Tabellen, Leistungsbilanz: Handelsbilanz und Ergänzungen zum Warenhandel, Dienstleistungsbilanz und Übertragungsbilanz
(balance of services: balance of trade and complements to trade in goods, net position on services, balance of transfer payments)

C. – Tabellen, Kapitalbilanz: Bilanz des Kapitalverkehrs mit dem Ausland
(balance of capital account: balance of capital transactions abroad)

D. – Tabellen: Auslandsposition der Deutschen Bundesbank
(The Central German Bank’s sheet items abroad)