Chemical industry gross domestic product

Catalysis is the driving force of the modern chemical industry. Although the chemical industry today is disliked by the media who use it as a convenient peg on which to hang many evils of modern society, it accounts for a very substantial proportion of the manufacturing wealth creation of a country. It has been estimated that some 20% of the total Gross Domestic Product is directly or indirectly due to the chemical industry. 

In 2002, the chemical industry contributed about 4.5 % to the Spanish gross domestic product (GDP). About 47 % of the turnover of the whole chemical industry was achieved by the polymer producing industry (not including elastomers) as is shown in Figure 1.11. 

The chemical sector is a key part of the national economy. Although its products represent only 2 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, they underpin most other manufactured goods. Direct products of the chemical industry include plastics, fibers, and dru, and many more products such as paper, fabrics, cosmetics, and electronics are dependent on the products of the chemical industry. 

In the middle of the nineteenth century Denmark was an agrarian country. Industry represented no more than about four per cent of the gross domestic product. The Danish chemical industry produced simple products, mainly from raw materials of local origin, such as oil and soap, beer and other alcohols, refined sugar, paper, textiles, glass and porcelain. Heavy chemical production had only started in two sectors, namely sulphuric acid (1834) and the manufacture of superphosphate (1851). The first coal gas plants were built in towns in the 1850s. ... 

This chapter identifies socioeconomic benefits in major electrochemical market sectors, both present and future. These sectors include energy, industry, national security, and health, among others. The domestic economic contribution, excluding costs of corrosion, approaches 30 billion per year, or about three-fourths of 1 percent of the gross national product (which amounted to 3800 billion in 1984). Within a decade, substantially greater sales are projected for batteries, fuel cells, semiconductors, sensors, corrosion control, and membranes. In addition, introduction of new technology could slow the loss of major markets in electrochemical production of metals and chemicals and in electroplating. 

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