Trading Across Borders

This topic looks at the procedural requirements for exporting and importing a standardized cargo of goods. Every official procedure is counted -- from the contractual agreement between the 2 parties to the delivery of goods -- along with the time necessary for completion.

The table below shows the main indicators. They include:
  • number of all documents required to export/import goods,
  • time necessary to comply with all procedures required to export/import goods, and
  • cost associated with all the procedures required to export/import goods
To see the details for a specific economy, use the dropdown box on the right or click on the links below. Click on column headers to sort data.

Export to Excel | Local partners | Methodology

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Research

Trading on Time (PDF, 100KB), by Simeon Djankov, Caroline Freund, and Cong S. Pham, Nov. 2008.

Region or EconomyDocuments to export (number)Time to export (days)Cost to export (US$ per container)Documents to import (number)Time to import (days)Cost to import (US$ per container)
OECD4.310.51,089.74.911.01,145.9
Middle East & North Africa6.422.51,034.87.425.91,221.7
Eastern Europe & Central Asia6.526.81,581.87.828.41,773.5
East Asia & Pacific6.723.1909.37.124.3952.8
Latin America & Caribbean6.818.61,243.67.320.91,481.0
Sub-Saharan Africa7.833.61,941.88.839.42,365.4
South Asia8.532.41,364.19.032.21,509.1
France291,0782111,248
Canada371,6104111,660
Estonia3573045740
Korea, Rep.3874238742
Micronesia, Fed. Sts.3301,2956301,295
Panama3972949879
Austria471,180581,195
Belgium481,619591,600
Czech Republic4171,0607201,165
Denmark4574435744
Finland4854058620
Georgia4101,2704131,250
Germany4787257937
Hong Kong, China4662545583
Ireland471,1094121,121
Italy4201,2314181,231
Japan4109895111,047
Madagascar4211,2799261,660
Netherlands4689556942
Norway4783047729
Portugal416685515999
Singapore4545643439
Sweden4869736735
Switzerland481,537591,540
Thailand414625313795
United Arab Emirates4859359579
United Kingdom491,030481,160
United States461,050551,315
Antigua and Barbuda5151,1335151,633
Armenia5171,7317202,096
Bahamas, the5169305131,380
Bahrain514955615995
Bulgaria5231,5517211,666
Cape Verde5191,3255181,129
Cyprus57820651,030
Djibouti519836518911
Greece5201,1536251,265
Hungary5181,2257171,215
Iceland5191,5325141,674
Indonesia521704627660
Israel512665412605
Lebanon5261,0027351,203
Luxembourg561,420461,420
Marshall Islands521945533945
Mauritius514737614689
Mexico5141,4725172,050
Nicaragua5291,3405291,420
Poland517884525884
Qatar521735720657
Romania5121,2756131,175
Saudi Arabia517681518678
St. Lucia5141,6008182,645
Tanzania5241,2627311,475
Trinidad and Tobago5148666261,100
Tunisia515783721858
Australia691,060581,119
Bangladesh6259708291,375
Bosnia and Herzegovina6161,1257161,090
Botswana6302,8109413,264
Brunei Darussalam628630619708
Chad6755,497101006,150
Chile621745721795
Colombia6141,7708141,750
Costa Rica6131,1907151,190
Dominican Republic699167101,150
Egypt, Arab Rep.614737615823
Gambia, the624831823922
Ghana6191,0137291,203
Grenada6141,2265192,479
Guinea-Bissau6231,5456222,349
Jamaica6211,7506221,420
Kiribati6211,0707211,070
Latvia613600612801
Lesotho6441,5498491,715
Lithuania610870611980
Macedonia, FYR6121,4366111,420
Moldova6321,8157351,945
Palau6291,19010331,132
Senegal6111,0985141,940
Serbia6121,3986141,559
Seychelles6171,8395191,839
Slovak Republic6201,4458251,445
Slovenia6201,0758211,130
Spain691,2218101,221
St. Kitts and Nevis6128506132,138
St. Vincent and the Grenadines6121,2906111,290
Sudan6322,0506462,900
Timor-Leste6251,0107261,015
Togo624940829963
Uganda6373,1907343,390
Ukraine6311,23010361,430
Vietnam622756821940
West Bank and Gaza6258356401,225
Yemen, Rep.6271,1299251,475
Zambia6532,6649643,335
Albania719725918710
Belize7211,7106211,870
Benin7301,2517321,400
China721500524545
Croatia7201,2818161,141
Dominica7131,2978151,310
Equatorial Guinea7301,4117491,411
Gabon7201,9458221,955
Guinea7338559321,391
Guyana720730824730
Honduras7201,16310231,190
Iran, Islamic Rep.7251,0618381,706
Jordan7177307191,290
Kyrgyz Republic7633,0007723,250
Malaysia718450714450
Mali7322,07510372,955
Montenegro714775714890
Morocco71470010171,000
Mozambique7231,10010301,475
New Zealand71086859850
Papua New Guinea726664929722
Peru723875824895
Puerto Rico7151,25010161,250
Samoa727820731848
Sierra Leone7261,5737311,639
Solomon Islands7241,0234211,237
Taiwan, China713720712732
Tonga719650624725
Turkey7149908151,063
Uzbekistan7713,10011924,600
Vanuatu7261,4979301,392
Zimbabwe7533,2809735,101
Algeria8171,2489231,428
Belarus8161,7728211,770
Bhutan8381,21011382,140
Bolivia8191,4257231,747
Brazil8121,5407161,440
Congo, Dem. Rep.8442,6079632,483
El Salvador814880810820
Ethiopia8491,9408452,993
Haiti8351,00510331,545
India817945920960
Kosovo8172,2708162,330
Kuwait8171,06010191,217
Maldives8211,3489201,348
Mongolia8462,1318472,274
Niger8593,54510643,545
Paraguay8331,44010331,750
Philippines816816816819
Russian Federation8361,85013361,850
São Tomé and Principe827690829577
South Africa8301,5319351,807
Sri Lanka821715620745
Suriname825975725885
Syrian Arab Republic8151,1909211,625
Venezuela, R.B.8492,5909712,868
Argentina9131,4807161,810
Azerbaijan9462,98014503,480
Burundi9472,74710714,285
Central African Republic9545,49117625,554
Ecuador9201,3457291,332
Eritrea9501,43113601,581
Kenya9272,0558252,190
Lao PDR9501,86010502,040
Nepal9411,76410351,825
Pakistan922611818680
Rwanda9383,2759355,070
Swaziland9212,18411332,249
Cameroon10231,25011262,002
Comoros10301,07310211,057
Côte d'Ivoire10251,9699362,577
Guatemala10171,18210171,302
Iraq101023,900101013,900
Liberia10171,2329151,212
Nigeria10251,2639411,440
Oman102282110261,037
Tajikistan10823,15010834,550
Uruguay10191,10010221,330
Angola11652,2508593,240
Burkina Faso11412,26211493,830
Cambodia11227321130872
Congo, Rep.11502,49012622,959
Kazakhstan11893,00513763,055
Malawi11411,71310512,570
Mauritania11391,52011421,523
Namibia11291,6869241,813
Afghanistan12743,35011773,000
Fiji13246541324630