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