Chart 1: Trade has always played an important role in the Canadian economy Nominal shares, trade and goods imports and exports as a share of GDP, annual data, 1926–2015 % 80  60  40  20  0 1925 1930 1935 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015  Trade  Exports  Imports  Sources: Statistics Canada and Bank of Canada calculations  Last observation: 2015  Chart 2: Canada remains a trade leader among advanced economies Nominal share of GDP, total imports and exports of G7 countries, 2015 % 100 80 60 40 20 0 Germany  Canada  France  Italy  United Kingdom  Japan  Sources: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) database and Bank of Canada calculations  United States  Last observation: 2015  -3-  Because of our geography, which has given us an abundance of natural resources and proximity to the largest market in the world, resource-based products destined for the United Sates have dominated our export mix.
Nonetheless, over our history, Canada has transitioned from being a primary goods powerhouse—principally, wood, wheat and other agricultural goods—with a limited set of trading partners to a well-diversified modern economy. Today, we export a broad range of manufactured goods, including almost anything with wheels—automobiles, trucks, airplanes and subway cars—and an expanding range of web-based services.