Skip to main content

Balance of Payments


The balance of payments (BOP) of a country is the record of all economic transactions between the residents of a country and the rest of the world in a particular period (a year). These transactions are made by individuals, firms and government bodies. Thus the balance of payments includes all external visible and non-visible transactions of a country during a given period, usually a year. It represents a summation of country's current demand and supply of the claims on foreign currencies and of foreign claims on its currency.
‘Balance of Payments’ is a term that is used to refer to an accounting record for all the monetary transactions conducted by a country with other countries within a specified period of time, usually one year. Balance of Payments is actually a numerical summary of all international transactions, and is preferably presented in the country’s domestic currency. In a balance of payments document, exports are recorded as positive items, due to the fact that they earn revenue for the government. Imports and other expenditures are recorded as negative items. The balance between these two is very important, and is perhaps the reason why such a transaction is referred to a balance of payment. In a balance of payments, all the items need to measure up to each other, that is, they should all add up to zero in order for there to be a perfect balance.
The balance of payments is the method countries use to monitor all international monetary transactions at a specific period of time. All trades conducted by both the private and public sectors are accounted for in the BOP in order to determine how much money is going in and out of a country. If a country has received money, this is known as a credit, and if a country has paid or given money, the transaction is counted as a debit. Theoretically, the BOP should be zero, meaning that assets (credits) and liabilities (debits) should balance, but in practice this is rarely the case. Thus, the BOP can tell the observer if a country has a deficit or a surplus and from which part of the economy the discrepancies are stemming.
The BOP is divided into three main categories: the current account, the capital account and the financial account. Within these three categories are sub-divisions, each of which accounts for a different type of international monetary transaction.
The current account mainly measures the flows of goods and services. The earnings on investments, both public and private, are also put into the current account.
The capital account consists of capital transfers and the acquisition and disposal of non-produced, non-financial assets. The capital account is where all international capital transfers are recorded. This refers to the acquisition or disposal of non-financial assets (for example, a physical asset such as land) and non-produced assets, which are needed for production but have not been produced, like a mine used for the extraction of diamonds.
And the financial account records investment flows. In the financial account, international monetary flows related to investment in business, real estate, bonds and stocks are documented. Also included are government-owned assets such as foreign reserves, gold, special drawing rights (SDRs) held with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), private assets held abroad and direct foreign investment. Assets owned by foreigners, private and official, are also recorded in

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Crossroads of the Nepalese Economy in 2026 AD

Forecast: Nepal's economic outlook for 2026 presents a mix of forecasts from major international institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and Asian Development Bank (ADB). These forecasts reflect a blend of optimism regarding structural resilience and concerns over ongoing political and social instability. The ADB projected a 5.1% GDP growth for 2026 in April 2025, driven by the revival of tourism and improved agricultural productivity. However, the World Bank later forecasted a 2.1% GDP growth for 2026 in November 2025, indicating a significant slowdown due to political unrest and weakened investor confidence. The IMF projected moderate GDP growth continuing the recovery around 4.3 to 4.5%. The economic recovery is stabilizing but faces challenges due to a complex domestic environment and global uncertainty. Underlying Reasons: The divergent predictions stem from various factors. The unexpected youth movement, known as the "Gen Z uprising,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Let's discuss the government budget

A government budget is a financial plan that outlines the revenues and expenditures of a government for a specific period. It is a crucial tool for managing a country's finances efficiently to achieve economic and social goals like promoting growth, reducing poverty, and providing public services. Monitoring and adjusting the budget as needed is essential for fiscal stability and sustainability.  In Nepal, the tradition of presenting an annual budget dates back to the 1950s, with the first budget presented in 1951 covering the period from March 1951 to February 1952. This change followed the overthrow of the Rana regime in February 1951. During this transitional phase without a legislature, the first budget was presented at the end of the year BS 2007 through Radio Nepal. The budget amount was Rs. 52,529,000, with a tax collection target of Rs. 30,619,000. The then Finance Minister, Subarna Shamsher, presented the budget as part of the council of ministers led by Prime Minister Mat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Major Economic Vulnerabilities and Structural Weaknesses of Nepal

Nepal faces a multitude of challenges in transitioning into a developing nation. These obstacles include political, economic, social, infrastructural, and environmental issues that hinder its graduation from the category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Let's discuss five key economic vulnerabilities that Nepal needs to address in order to advance towards becoming a middle-income economy. 1. Agricultural Dependency: The country's economy is largely dependent on agriculture, which is susceptible to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and earthquakes. The reliance on subsistence agriculture exposes a large portion of the population to climate risks, low productivity, and limited market access. 2. Remittance Reliance: Nepal heavily relies on remittances from its citizens working abroad, which makes the economy vulnerable to fluctuations in global economic conditions and policies. Remittances from Nepali workers abroad account for over 25% of GDP, posing vulnerability t...
Post a Comment
Read more