<p>The <a href="http://stats.oecd.org/" rel="nofollow">Stats.OECD</a> web site answers all your questions and offers useful data!</p>

<p>Here is an <a href="http://www.oecd.org/std/na/1909562.pdf" rel="nofollow">OECD document</a> explaining the sources and methods used by OECD member countries to compute <strong><em>quarterly</em></strong> national accounts. As explained in the document, most of the OECD countries use 3 types of approach to construct GDP figures: the production approach, the expenditure approach, and the income approach. Among others, those approaches rely on surveys of households and firms.</p>

<p>For the <strong><em>annual</em></strong> figures, the OECD maintains a useful <a href="http://www.oecd.org/std/na/annualnationalaccountsfaqs.htm" rel="nofollow">FAQs page</a>, with answers on What is a GDP? How is it calculated? When are the annual national accounts revised? Etc... The source and methods web page is <a href="http://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/sources-and-methods.htm" rel="nofollow">here</a></p>

<p>Quarterly or annual data for OECD countries can be found <a href="http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=qna" rel="nofollow">here</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-10T07:40:08.397Z
2015-11-10T07:40:08.397Z
emeryville
<p>You might not find a page explaining (in an easy manner) how quarterly GDP is calculated because it is done by several different means in different countries and the calculation/estimation methods can get confusing. If you want to know how a certain country generates a quarterly GDP figure, you should check the country's official economic statistics page - the descriptions of the statistic usually list at least something about the collection process.</p>

<p>Usually quarterly GDP is done with a smaller sample and has some estimations done (often based on last year's data). Annual GDP is usually the more accurate measure with a larger sample and more revision time between collection of data and publishing it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-11T06:34:09.817Z
2015-09-11T06:34:09.817Z
John L.
<p>I didn't understand how quarterly GDP is calculated. If GDP means Gross Domestic Product in a year, then what does quarterly GDP mean Gross Domestic Product in a quarter? OR it is multiplied by $4$ to estimate for a annual number? I appreciate the help. I tried google but cannot seem to find a page that explains it.</p>

<macroeconomics>
What is the difference between quarterly GDP and annual GDP?
Kun
# What is the difference between quarterly GDP and annual GDP?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-11)

I didn't understand how quarterly GDP is calculated. If GDP means Gross Domestic Product in a year, then what does quarterly GDP mean Gross Domestic Product in a quarter? OR it is multiplied by $4$ to estimate for a annual number? I appreciate the help. I tried google but cannot seem to find a page that explains it.

**Tags:** macroeconomics

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-11-10. Score: 2

The [Stats.OECD](http://stats.oecd.org/) web site answers all your questions and offers useful data!

Here is an [OECD document](http://www.oecd.org/std/na/1909562.pdf) explaining the sources and methods used by OECD member countries to compute ***quarterly*** national accounts. As explained in the document, most of the OECD countries use 3 types of approach to construct GDP figures: the production approach, the expenditure approach, and the income approach. Among others, those approaches rely on surveys of households and firms.

For the ***annual*** figures, the OECD maintains a useful [FAQs page](http://www.oecd.org/std/na/annualnationalaccountsfaqs.htm), with answers on What is a GDP? How is it calculated? When are the annual national accounts revised? Etc... The source and methods web page is [here](http://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/sources-and-methods.htm)

Quarterly or annual data for OECD countries can be found [here](http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=qna)


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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-09-11. Score: 2

You might not find a page explaining (in an easy manner) how quarterly GDP is calculated because it is done by several different means in different countries and the calculation/estimation methods can get confusing. If you want to know how a certain country generates a quarterly GDP figure, you should check the country's official economic statistics page - the descriptions of the statistic usually list at least something about the collection process.

Usually quarterly GDP is done with a smaller sample and has some estimations done (often based on last year's data). Annual GDP is usually the more accurate measure with a larger sample and more revision time between collection of data and publishing it.


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