Economy > Economic growth > Investment rates > Gross fixed capital formation > Machinery and equipment: Countries Compared

DEFINITION: Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) reflects the acquisition, less disposal, of fixed assets, i.e. products which are expected to be used in production for several years. Acquisitions include both purchases of assets (new or second-hand) and the construction of assets by producers for their own use. Disposals include sales of assets for scrap as well as sales of used assets in a working condition to other producers: New Zealand, Mexico and some Central European countries import substantial quantities of used assets.

Fixed assets consist of machinery and equipment; dwellings and other buildings; roads, bridges, airfields and dams; orchards and tree plantations; improvements to land such as fencing, leveling and draining; draught animals and other animals that are kept for the milk and wool that they produce; computer software and databases; entertainment, literary or artistic originals, and expenditures on mineral exploration. What all these things have in common is that they contribute to future production. This may not be obvious in the case of dwellings but, in the national accounts, flats and houses are considered to produce housing services which are consumed by owners or tenants over the life of the building.

In calculating the shares, gross fixed capital formation and GDP are both valued at current market prices.

SHOW ALL

LESS

CONTENTS

MAP
INTERESTING
Q+A

SHARE TWEET EMBED EXPORT

Totals

#	COUNTRY	AMOUNT	DATE
1	SlovakiaSlovakia	10.1%	2009
2	IcelandIceland	10.09%	2009
3	Czech RepublicCzech Republic	10.05%	2009
4	JapanJapan	9.72%	2009
5	SwitzerlandSwitzerland	9.7%	2009
6	HungaryHungary	9.15%	2009
7	South KoreaSouth Korea	8.93%	2009
8	GreeceGreece	8.65%	2009
9	AustriaAustria	8.6%	2009
10	ItalyItaly	8.53%	2009
11	DenmarkDenmark	8.46%	2009
12	New ZealandNew Zealand	8.22%	2009
13	AustraliaAustralia	8.21%	2009
14	SwedenSweden	7.91%	2009
15	PolandPoland	7.82%	2009
16	SpainSpain	7.76%	2009
	High income OECD countries averageHigh income OECD countries average (profile)	7.71%	2009
17	GermanyGermany	7.67%	2009
	Group of 7 countries (G7) averageGroup of 7 countries (G7) average (profile)	7.08%	2009
18	PortugalPortugal	7.06%	2009
19	NetherlandsNetherlands	7%	2009
20	LuxembourgLuxembourg	6.54%	2009
21	CanadaCanada	6.27%	2009
22	United KingdomUnited Kingdom	6.01%	2009
23	United StatesUnited States	5.81%	2009
24	FranceFrance	5.57%	2009
25	FinlandFinland	5.36%	2009
26	IrelandIreland	5.3%	2009
27	NorwayNorway	5.21%	2009

Citation

SHARE TWEET EMBED