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